There are dozens of missing people // They create a crisis committee so that support from the State and the EU can flow // It is the worst storm so far this century: experts
Armando G. Tejeda
Correspondent
La Jornada Newspaper
Thursday, October 31, 2024, p. 24
Madrid. Torrential rains and the overflowing of several rivers in the southeast and center of Spain caused the greatest natural tragedy of the century in the country. At least 95 people died and dozens are missing or incommunicado; The material damage is extensive and the isolated depression at high levels (DANA) is advancing towards other regions.
The most affected autonomous communities are Valencia, Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia, but it is expected that in the coming days the blow will extend to Andalusia, Aragon, Extremadura, Ceuta and Catalonia.
The president of the Spanish government, the socialist Pedro Sánchez, decreed three days of national mourning in the face of the tragedy, caused in part by climate change, and created a crisis committee to help with all the resources of the State and, if necessary, of the European Union (EU), so that they can move forward as soon as possible.
The European Commission announced the mobilization of the EU civil protection system to help in rescue efforts.
The last time I spoke to my son was last night. He told me that the water reached his waist and since then he has not respondeda woman from Colombia, from the Valencian town of Benetússer, said through tears. He is one of those missing since Tuesday, when there were torrential rains never seen before.
The town of Paiporta, with 26 thousand inhabitants and five kilometers from the city of Valencia, became the center of the tragedy, with more than 40 deaths. The small town was left under a river of mud after suffering the worst impact of the rain due to its geographical position, between the Chiva ravine and the channels of the Magro river, which overflowed.
▲ Residents of the municipality of Utiel took their useless furniture out onto the street. Below, the flooding and the devastation of buildings; the images, yesterday in Valencia.Photo Ap and Afp
Around 42,000 chickens from a farm were found dead after DANA passed through Granada. The catastrophe could seriously affect agriculture in a region that is a large producer of fruits and vegetables, including the famous Valencia oranges.
Experts define this natural phenomenon as DANA, also known as cold dropwhich has been the worst so far this century in Spain.
The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) issued the warning on Tuesday at 10 in the morning, but the regional government, chaired by the right-wing Carlos Mazón, of the PP, did not issue it to the citizens until 8 at night.
Mar Gómez, meteorologist, explained that what happened is partly a result of the location of DANA and the contribution of humidity and warm waters from the Mediterranean with the Levante wind, combined with the orography and the planning of the territory.
The torrential rains, which are still active in much of the Spanish territory, caused the Júcar, Magre, Turia, El Gallo and El Salado rivers to overflow, which led to the flooding of streets, houses, buildings, hospitals, schools, residences of elderly people and everything that was found along the way, including hundreds of vehicles that were swept away by the flood. Likewise, failures in the electrical sector left some 155 thousand homes without electricity.
