Valencians are physically and emotionally exhausted six months after floods

“We lose it in Dana”, they respond to many inhabitants of Valence’s villages about their personal belongings. From baby strollers to wedding dresses, going through laptops and photographs, six months after the devastating floods that affected several villages around Valencia, the SO -Led Dana is still the only thing people think.

Dana, isolated depression at high levels or “cold fall”, was the atmospheric phenomenon that, on October 29, 2024, caused torrential rain and a year precipitation.

More than 227 people lost their lives and thousands of companies and houses were damaged. After the floods, thousands of volunteers from all over Spain came to help with cleanliness. Many came on foot.

Six months later, although people are grateful to be alive, mental suffering is more acute than ever. With dark elevators and destroyed parking parks, the daily life of people changed to worse, especially that of the elderly and the most vulnerable. Although the houses are being renewed and companies gradually open, the price of economic losses remains billions and the psychological consequences for children are serious.

Juan Ruiz has been about to change home for the second time since he lost his recently renewed house six months ago. In addition to normal daily tasks, daily life now consists of administrative, bureaucratic and renewal tasks at home: rebuilding the life that his family had before October 29, 2024. Juan is always grateful to the volunteers who abdicate their free time to support him, he and his family, but disappointed with the lack of support of local politicians.

A mass demonstration was scheduled to demand the dismissal of the president of the Valencian Community, Carlos Mazón, for the management of Dana on October 29, but was postponed due to the historical cut of electricity.

With the country in a level 2 emergency plan, the organizers said they were acting responsible for security reasons and would carry out the demonstration on Tuesday during the PPE party congress.

The spokesman for the demonstration told Euronews that it was terrible to celebrate Congress and the celebration of the PPE in Valencia, a city still mourning.

Beatriu is calling a new demonstration for today at 6:30 pm at the same time as the official dinner of the European Congress of the Popular Party.

“At the same time, six months ago, there were dozens of flooded people and die due to Carlons Mazón’s incompetence,” Beatriu told Euronews.

For her part, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she would not meet with the victims this week in Valencia, but invited them to Brussels on May 13.

“I hope the popular party pays at least flights and the hotel,” said José, another manifestor of the crowd that praised the president of the committee for showing solidarity.

Protesters expect the European Congress of the Popular Party to press Carlos Mazón to leave politics, since the greatest fear in Valencia is that the tragic Dana will attack again.