- Five days after the DANA floods, the inhabitants of the flooded areas continue to remove debris from homes and premises | Main photo: EFE
Dozens of Venezuelan migrants have joined the volunteer groups helping those affected by the storm in the communities of Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha, in Spain.
Venezuelan José Molero, resident of the Catarroja sector of Valencia, has shared on his social networks the status of the town from Wednesday, October 30, the first day of the effects of isolated depression at high levels (DANA), until Sunday, October 3 November 2024.
“This has shown the best version of the Spaniards, the Latinos and the Valencians who live in this beautiful community,” Molero said through videos published on his TikTok account.
The Venezuelan said that various groups of migrants have spread out through the streets of Catarroja to bring food to the most affected people, especially the elderly.
Another Venezuelan who joined the debris removal was working as a volunteer firefighter in Venezuela, however, local media did not identify the man.
“I was a volunteer firefighter in my country (Venezuela), but I am honored to know that I can continue helping this beautiful country with my skills,” said the Venezuelan volunteer.
Latino migrants help affected communities
During a tour of the affected areas, Venezuelan reporter Luis Martínez interviewed another conventional worker who provided collaboration in Paiporta, a sector in Valencia that was named by the authorities as “ground zero” of the disaster.
“I want to contribute a grain of sand to everything I have received from Spain because I have been here for 18 years and in this country I have done very well, I have achieved things that I did not achieve in my country and it was fair and necessary for me to come to corroborate ”, shared the Venezuelan migrant who was also not identified.
For his part, the user @Adriancho highlighted the collaboration of Venezuelans in cleaning the streets and distributing food to those who lost their homes due to the storm.
“I am seeing so much generosity and so much help. “Some Venezuelan brothers set up a kiosk to distribute food to whoever needs it and we (a group of Colombian migrants) are dedicated to distributing water and drinks,” he added.
In an informal event, two Venezuelans identified as Xavier Manrique and Axel Castellanos were praised by officials of the Spanish Army, who gave them the “Legionary for rescue, rescue and courage” recognition buttons, after spending several hours in the rescue and recovery of victims in the municipality of Benetusser in the Community of Valencia.
More than 200 dead and thousands missing
Minister Oscar Puente confirmed on November 3 that the official figure is 214 deaths, to which three new deaths are added from the municipality of Pedralba.
A Venezuelan woman and her baby died in Valencia due to the storm
A Venezuelan migrant identified as Lourdes García and her 3-month-old baby died in the town of Paiporta, due to the floods caused by the passage of the DANA.
According to official information, the woman was trapped on the roof of a vehicle while trying to save herself, while her husband, Antonio Tarazona, was dragged by the current, but was rescued alive.
The diary The Spanish reported that García, 34 years old, had resided in Valencia since 2019.
The last time her family and friends saw her was at 11:00 pm on Tuesday, October 29. Concerned about their whereabouts, their relatives began to spread their photographs in the hope of finding them both alive. However, authorities confirmed the death on October 30.
The middle The World reported that, during the tragedy, the Venezuelan called a friend to ask her to take care of her other two children, ages 8 and 10.
Related news
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)
{if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};
if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′;
n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,’script’,
‘https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’);
fbq(‘init’, ‘648851442656403’);
fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’);
#Venezuelan #migrants #helping #affected #storm #Spain
Venezuelan migration
**Venezuelan Migrants Help Affected Communities**
Recently, Venezuelan migrants have played a crucial role in supporting those affected by a devastating storm in Spain. During a visit to the impacted areas, Venezuelan journalist Luis Martínez spoke with a fellow migrant in Paiporta, a Valencia sector heavily hit by the disaster. The migrant expressed a desire to give back to Spain, a country he has called home for 18 years. “I want to contribute a grain of sand to everything I have received from Spain… it was fair and necessary for me to come to corroborate,” he stated.
Social media users, such as @Adriancho, highlighted the altruism displayed by the Venezuelans in cleaning streets and distributing food to storm victims. He noted, “I am seeing so much generosity… Some Venezuelan brothers set up a kiosk to distribute food to whoever needs it,” while Colombian migrants assisted by providing water and drinks.
Two Venezuelans, Xavier Manrique and Axel Castellanos, received honors from Spanish Army officials for their bravery during rescue efforts in Benetusser. The pair worked relentlessly to aid victims and were awarded the ”Legionary for rescue, rescue and courage” recognition buttons.
The storm’s toll has been severe, with Spain’s Minister Oscar Puente confirming a tragic death toll of 214, including three additional deaths from Pedralba, as of November 3. The community’s resilience is being bolstered by the steadfast support from migrants who are determined to lend a hand in these challenging times.
