Spain’s flood of rage: Flares are ignited as hundreds collect at heated protests over dealing with of Valencia storms which left 222 individuals useless and cities ‘destroyed’ – as livid locals demand officers are fired
Thousands of heated protesters have poured into the streets of Valencia, marking a month since floods ravaged towns and killed 222 in the region alone.
The catastrophic rainfall saw homes and businesses demolished as well as thousands of cars piled up in the muddy streets of the eastern region of Spain on October 29.
The floods, which were the worst in a generation, killed 230 in total in the country, with telephone alerts reaching residents when water was already raging through towns.
Several municipalities went days without state help and relied on volunteers for food, water and cleaning equipment.
Outrage has since swept throughout Spain with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets yesterday to call out the government’s handling of the disaster.
Many have been demanding that Valencia’s President, Carlos Mazon, step down with Spaniards furious that the government hadn’t alerted citizens until it was too late.
Several people died after being caught out in the flash flooding while driving, or while trying to move their vehicles from car parks as well as those living in ground-floor flats.
On the day of the floods, Mazon was said to have taken a long lunch and came to the emergency meeting two hours late, local Spanish media reports.
Demonstrators march during a protest a month after devastating floods demading the resignation Valencia’s President, Carlos Mazon
Heated protesters chanted, calling for his resignation after he arrived two hours late to an emergency meeting the day of the floods
A woman cradling her face while she cries during the demonstrations yesterday in the city of Valencia
Thousands chanted slogans calling for Mazon to face jail or resign as they made their way through the city centre of Valencia.
‘What went wrong? Incompetence. That’s why we are here, because there are a lot of incompetent people who are still being paid,’ Raquel Ferrandis said.
The teacher, 55, from Paiporta -one of the hardest hit towns – carried a banner in memory of her friend and mother who both died in the tragedy.
Maribel Peralta, 62, said she was ‘very indignant’, as she held a banner hitting out at the regional president.
‘The people who have lost everything, look at how they live now,’ the Valencia local said.
‘The people who have lost their businesses, look at how they live now. The aid is not coming.’
Anna Oliver – a spokesperson for the march – told local media: ‘One month later, and our towns and cities are still destroyed.
‘The regional government is morally and ethically incapable of handling the reconstruction.’
A protester holds a placard reading ‘Valencian government immediate resignation’ during the demonstration
A protester holds a placard which read: ‘The flood hits us, your management sinks us’
Firefighters light flares during a protest over what they say is a lack of coordination during tragedies such as the latest devastating flooding in the region
Church bells rang out at dusk in Paiporta on Friday, the epicentre of the disaster, at around the time the floods began.
Several hundred locals, some wearing face masks, gathered near a ravine which was ravaged by the torrential rain two days ago.
They left a line of candles on both sides of the ravine in memory of 45 people who died in Paiporta in the floods.
‘This tribute is for them, we put a candle for them so they are not forgotten,’ said Bea Garcia, a 43-year-old teacher.
‘The people continue to feel alone, the anger remains and there is also fatigue and frustration. We are all exhausted.’ she said.
Similar rallies were held in towns and cities across Valencia, organised by trade unions, associations and local organisations.
A previous in Valencia on November 9 drew 130,000 furious citizens demanding Mazon step down.
Thousands chanted slogans calling for Mazon to face jail or resign as they made their way through the city centre of Valencia
Protesters confront police officers during tonight march in Valencia as they call for action from the regional and national government
Firefighters carried a large flag through the streets of Madrid today in protest over the lack of preparation in relation to the floods
‘We have to be extraordinarily understanding with the protests. There are still lots of people who have received nothing, so we cannot rest,’ Mazon said on Friday whilst announcing the reopening of Valencia’s metro on December 3.
Popular outrage boiled over in Paiporta on November 3 when residents hurled mud at King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Mazon.
Sanchez and Mazon were escorted away and their fleeting unity has since collapsed, with the left-wing central government and the conservative regional administration trading blame for the handling of the floods.
Thousands of troops, police, firefighters, and volunteers have continued to clear debris, repair damage and extract mud from garages, basements and car parks in the traumatised region.
The responsibility of disaster management in Spain lies with regional administrators, however the central government can provide regions with resources and is able to take the lead in more extreme cases.
‘We are literally swimming in mud. The children are still out of school, things are going very slowly in the village, and we can’t find solutions,’ Sabrina Bermejo, a 41-year-old laboratory analyst said.
Spain’s Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo on Thursday reeled off a dizzying list of damaged property according to insurance data, including 69,000 homes, 125,000 vehicles and 12,500 businesses.
The government has scrambled to put together aid packages collectively worth 16.6 billion euros ($17.5 billion) in grants and loans to help stricken citizens.
But Amparo Peris expressed the despair of many in the flood epicentre who feel ‘abandoned’ by politicians.
‘We thank the volunteers, but we are very tired because this is not moving forward,’ the 35-year-old domestic assistant said in Catarroja, where garages are still caked with mud and two piles of rusting cars greet visitors to the hard-hit town.
‘This is horrific… I feel powerless because they (the authorities) do nothing,’ added Fina Solaz, 69, as she queued to collect essential goods.
