At least 62 people in Valencia region die; “dozens more are disappeared”
Portugal has today offered “all help necessary” to its neighbour Spain following the devastating storm DANA which ripped through the Valencia region last night, killing at least 62 people (see update below).
In a message over the ‘X’ social media network, prime minister Luís Montenegro has expressed the government’s condolences for such an “elevated number of victims”, while in Spain authorities are all working against the clock: rescuing people, trying to reinstate power, attempting to calm thousands and start the arduous mop-up and general recovery.
European Commissioner Ursula Von der Leyen has also taken to social media to say: “What we’re seeing in Spain is devastating. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the rescue teams. The EU has already offered support. Copernicus has been activated. The #EUCivilProtection can be mobilised”.
President Marcelo has also sent his condolences to the King of Spain.
DANA has been the “worst depression of the century”, Spain’s state meteorological agency has confirmed; much worse than the storms of 1982, 1987 and more recently 2019, which devastated exactly the same region.
“All storms cause damages, flooded streets and rivers to burst their banks”, writes SIC Notícias this morning. “But none approach the number of deaths reported up till now”.
At the point where SIC’s reporter wrote that comment, “at least 51 people died as a consequence of this storm” (when 1982 saw eight deaths, 1987 two and 2019 six). Now that number is up to 62, and there are reportedly ‘dozens’ still missing. That may be a slight exaggeration: other reports talk of six people unaccounted for, including a 92-year-old woman.
Spanish newspaper El Mundo has been speaking with survivors, one of which (Paco) told reporters that “the speed of the water was insane”.
Paco recounts his story: “It was 7.30pm when I decided to pass through an industrial estate. Nothing was happening at the time, it wasn’t even raining. But before I got to the roundabout there were cars turning around and warning me that the Poyo river was overflowing”.
From that moment on, the scene quickly changed. “I managed to get out of the car. The water was flowing at an insane speed, dragging cars along and the pressure was tremendous. I was pushed into a ditch. It was death, but I didn’t want to die.”
Paco managed to hold on, but the force of the water ripped his clothes from his body.
Not knowing if he was going to survive or not, he says he had a glimmer of hope when a boy, who was trapped on top of a lorry, helped him onto the vehicle.
They were both on top of the lorry for three hours. When the rain calmed down, they climbed down and had water ‘up to their knees’.
“I was born again,” Paco told El Mundo.
Offers of help to Spain have now come also from Germany.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has appealed to people in the areas most affected “not to let down their guard” and to stay in their homes as much as possible.
This depression is not moving on quickly. According to reports DANA will only “lose intensity” on Sunday, thus there will be a lot more rain, wind and damages, moving into other areas*.
With hundreds of people without any kind of power (to contact relatives/ friends even via mobile phones), the full picture of this disaster will remain unclear for some time.
The Spanish king meantime has sent a message of strength to all those affected, again over social media network ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), referring to the ‘titan’ efforts underway now by Armed Forces and state security personnel.
*Other areas now on alert include Catalunha, which is being warned of the possibility of strong winds, hailstones and even tornados.
The Spanish Guardia Civil has uploaded a number of videos onto social media showing the extent of some of the damages, and saying they are still actively searching for missing people. The police force has also published diagrams showing people who may become trapped in their cars, how best to exit them, before trying to find a secure place (like a tree) to hold on to ahead of being rescued.
UPDATE 4pm: the latest tally is “at least 72 people confirmed dead”.
natasha.donn@portugalresident.com
