How Mother Nature wreaked havoc on Valencia.

Tuesday 29th October will go down in history as one of the worst natural disasters in Spain´s history.

The regions of Valencia, Castilla La Mancha and Andalucia were struck by unparalleled flash flooding, with Valencia the worst hit. Over 200 people have been confirmed dead, hundreds are still unaccounted for and villages and towns have been desecrated by the so called “DANA”. These storms were previously known as “Gota Frías”, or cold drops. DANA being a more recent, scientifically updated term.

What is a DANA?

DANA stands for Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos which translates as Isolated Depression at High Altitudes. Danas form when large masses of hot and cold air meet. When cold air blows across the ocean it causes hot air to rise quickly. This forms dense, water filled clouds which stagnate and get more destructive as they do so. These destructive storms only happen in the East Atlantic ocean, the East Pacific, the coast of China and parts of the Mediterranean.

Why was the DANA so destructive?

Almost a years worth of rain fell in 8 hours in parts of Valencia. The geography of the area means that rain is washed down the river from higher ground, gaining speed and volume. Combined with the recent drought conditions, meaning that the ground could not absorb it, the sheer volume of water was able to completely overwhelm the area.

The images and video footage of the aftermath are shocking and heartbreaking. The suffering has been unimaginable. People have lost precious possessions, their homes and many are dealing with the loss of friends and family. The clear up operation seems impossible, yet it has begun.

There have been thousands of volunteers from all over Spain. 

An astounding show of strength and unity! But there is much work still to do…

There has also been anger and a demand for accountability. Visits by King Felipe Vl, Queen Letizia and the president, Pedro Sanchez were met with alarming protests. The people wanted to know why they were not forewarned and why the “state of emergency” was not declared immediately. This would have given control, from the start of the rescue mission, to the central government of Spain. Much of the anger was aimed at Carlos Mazón, the president of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, for the lack of coordination with the central government.

Thankfully the “State of Alarm” has now been confirmed and Sanchez has made a comprehensive list of pledges. He has declared that the government will pay 100% of emergency expenses to the affected municipalities. This covers; cleaning of the streets, removal of mud, debris, unusable belongings, supply of drinking water, home and building repairs, new furniture and appliances and compensation for self employed workers. The amount pledged is a staggering 10.6 million euros.

This devastating tragedy is ongoing for now, there are still many people not accounted for. Hopefully many lessons have been learned from this catastrophy and perhaps the authorities will be better prepared if it happens again. 

If you wish to help, even in a small way, there are drop off points in every town organised by your local townhall. Most are asking especially for bottled water, milk (UHT), sandwich bread, baby food, baby feeding bottles and nappies, canned food and cleaning products and equipment.

We, the team at Jacaranda Spain, stand with the people of Valencia.