Houses submerged in water, people trapped and cars swallowed by mud. These are shocking images of Spain, hit by powerful torrential rains that caused deaths and devastation. At least 95 victims, almost all of them, 92, in the Valencia region, 2 in the Castile-La Mancha region and one in Andalusia, in the province of Malaga. Among them there are also children and infants. At the moment there are no Italians among the victims. The overall toll could rise because there are dozens of missing people, a number that the Spanish government is not yet able to determine. And while entire families are looking for their loved ones and another thousand people are still stranded along the roads, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged residents “not to let their guard down”. “The emergency continues,” he warned, assuring that all the resources of the State and, if necessary, of the EU will be made available to the affected territories. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia said they were “shocked” and encouraged their compatriots who are experiencing dramatic hours. The government has proclaimed a three-day national mourning and Sanchez will travel to Valencia tomorrow.
“Here people have lost everything”, “I have never experienced anything like this”, María Jesús Herrada Ricart, municipal councilor of Torrent, a small town in the province of Valencia which suffered heavy damage from the Dana, told LaPresse, as is called the meteorological phenomenon that affected the region. In Torrent, partially isolated due to the collapse of bridges and the closure of roads, the deaths were between 15 and 20. One of the most affected centers was that of Paiporta, with over 30 deaths. “It was the worst day of my life”, “we were trapped like mice, cars and rubbish containers flowed along the streets, the water rose up to 3 metres”, Ricardo Gabaldón, mayor of Utiel, told Rtve. The Dana, “Isolated High Level Depression”, was the most ferocious of the century. The Spanish State Meteorological Agency estimated that in some places, such as Utiel and Chiva, an amount of rain fell equal to that which can fall in a whole year.
The very high cost of human lives has raised questions about the possibility of preventing a tragedy of this scale. The unions denounced that, despite the weather warnings, some companies continued to let their employees work and did not send them home. The controversy erupted over the time in which the civil protection of the Valencia region sent the alarm to residents’ mobile phones, i.e. shortly after 8pm on Tuesday. “The alert came very late, when everything was already flooded and people were already stranded,” Giuseppe Grezzi, Italian city councilor of Valencia and former councilor for Mobility of the city, told LaPresse, “while it was raining heavily in some villages” of the region, “there were still children in schools”.
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According to Grezzi, the Region “has not implemented the necessary exceptional and preventive measures”, “despite the fact that the weather alert from Aemet, the Spanish Meteorological Agency, had been in place for a few days”. At the moment the government of Pedro Sanchez, of a political nature opposed to the regional government of Valencia, has not wanted to enter into the controversy, stating that an evaluation will be made at the appropriate time. To deal with the crisis, over a thousand soldiers from the Emergency Unit and hundreds of national and local police and Guardia civil officers were deployed. Messages of solidarity arrived from Italy. The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella expressed the “most sincere condolences of the Italians” and “personal closeness” in a message sent to King Felipe VI. “Italy is close to Spain in this terrible moment,” said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz offered assistance and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was “ready to help”.
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**Interview with María Jesús Herrada Ricart, Municipal Councilor of Torrent, Valencia Region**
**Editor:** Thank you, María Jesús, for joining us today. The recent torrential rains have left your community devastated. Could you describe the situation in Torrent?
**María Jesús Herrada Ricart:** Thank you for having me. The situation here is truly heartbreaking. Many people have lost everything in an instant. In Torrent, we’ve experienced significant flooding, and basic infrastructure, like bridges, has collapsed. Families are trapped, and I fear the number of victims may continue to rise as we search for those still missing.
**Editor:** It must be incredibly distressing for everyone involved. How have local authorities been responding to this crisis?
**María Jesús Herrada Ricart:** Local authorities are working tirelessly to rescue those stranded and provide support. Our mayor, Ricardo Gabaldón, expressed the fear and desperation that many are feeling right now. We’re coordinating with emergency services, but the scale of the disaster has made it difficult to manage.
**Editor:** There’s been criticism regarding the timing and effectiveness of emergency alerts. Can you shed some light on that?
**María Jesús Herrada Ricart:** Yes, there is indeed frustration. Many residents, including myself, received the emergency alert too late. It reached people when the flooding had already begun. This situation has raised serious concerns about our civil protection protocols. We must learn from this and ensure better communication to prevent such tragedies in the future.
**Editor:** What are the immediate needs of the community right now?
**María Jesús Herrada Ricart:** Right now, we need more resources: food, clean water, medical supplies, and people to help with rescue and recovery efforts. Many families are displaced and don’t know where to turn. Additionally, we are focusing on mental health support for those who have experienced trauma during this disaster.
**Editor:** Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences, María Jesús. Our thoughts are with you and everyone affected by this tragedy.
**María Jesús Herrada Ricart:** Thank you for your support. It means a lot to us during these difficult times.
