Isabel Ribes points to the walls of the apartment in Paiporta on the outskirts of Valencia. – The water went all the way up here, she says to news and shows a damp line on the brick wall about two meters up from the floor. Isabel walks around the apartment in rubber boots. Everything is chaos. There is mud everywhere: on the floor, on cups, on plates and on the sofa. And on the pink fleece jacket and on her hands. – The water covered everything, she says to news, as she points to the microwave oven on a shelf on the wall. – It’s absolutely terrible! On the street outside Isabel’s apartment, there is chaos. Photo: Santi Carneri / news Tables, chairs, pictures and decorative objects have been thrown around by the huge masses of water. The car and motorbike have also been swept away by the flood. – Is it possible to live here? –- Yes, I live on the second floor. I have a dog there too. A labrador who can’t get out. My children have helped. They have brought me food and water, she says. She has also received help from the neighbours. Many cars have been crushed by the flood. Photo: Santi Carneri / news – We were powerless On the street outside, cars have been thrown around and crushed by the flood. Large piles of earth, stones and other things that the water has brought with it block the road in several places. Some have wrapped plastic bags around their legs. Several walk close to the house walls to avoid slipping and falling in the mud that still covers the streets. An elderly woman openly cries in the middle of the street. Others hold each other. The feelings are strong. Many cannot hold back their tears when they see the destruction after the flood. Photo: Santi Carneri It is the worst flood for decades in Spain. In some places as much water came in a few hours as it normally does in a whole year. 61-year-old Isabel was in the apartment when the storm started. She and several neighbors banded together and tried to comfort each other through the disastrous night. – We water rose and rose. We felt powerless. We couldn’t do anything. At least 158 people have died. Dozens are missing. The authorities in the country fear that the death toll will increase even more. Over 40 of the dead have been found in Paiporta, where Isabel lives. A place with around 25,000 inhabitants. Three days of national mourning have been declared following the disaster. People queue for hours to get water. Photo: Santi Carneri / news Lack of water and electricity A little further down the street, people are queuing. They bring wash tubs and water jugs. There is a lack of most things: water, food, medicine and many are still without electricity. – We stand in a queue to get water, says 22-year-old Lorena. The authorities have arrived with a water tanker. But it is not drinking water. Only water for washing and for the toilets, which are also empty of water. Many also fetch water from the murky river. Policeman Jose Bleva has come from Alicante to help. He is one of many police officers who have flocked after the flood. The need for help is enormous. Bleva says that there is a station for drinking water and food about a kilometer away. – How long will it take before the houses get water and electricity? – Towards the end of the week, says Bleva. Lorena had to queue for two hours before she could fill up three five liter jugs. – Now I’m satisfied, she says with a smile. The clean-up job after the big flood is enormous. Photo: Santi Carneri Strong criticism of the authorities But many news meetings are not satisfied at all. They are angry. Angry because they believe the authorities did not warn properly about the storm. And angry at the politicians who they believe are not doing enough to help people after the disaster. – The politicians will come here to talk and take pictures. But nothing will happen, says Alonso Salvador. Torrential rains and floods will come more often and become more powerful due to climate change, according to the researchers. Although they cannot establish that a single major flood like the one in Spain is due to climate change. A lot of work remains to get life back to normal in Paiporta. Photo: Santi Carneri / news But Alonso believes that the politicians are to blame for climate change, without doing anything in particular to prevent such disasters from happening again. – They avoid it. They don’t take responsibility, says Alonso. Isabel is currently unable to see that far ahead. She just hopes the authorities come quickly to do something. – I want them to come and clean and wash the streets, so we can get all this out here, she says and points to everything that has to be thrown away in the apartment. The son and son-in-law have come to help. They carry out the red sofa and everything else that has been destroyed by the flood. Published 31.10.2024, at 17.47
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