“We were saved by the victims”: survivor of the floods in Spain, a couple from Gard recounts a week in chaos

They were going to Spain for vacation. Close to retirement, Valérie Rambaud and Philippe Mas, a couple close to retirement based in Saint-Brès, near Alès, took the road last week with their two Malinois dogs towards Cordoba. The program looked good: meeting up with a friend living in this part of Spain and participating, on site, in a dog competition.

In the hell of Chiva

Tuesday October 29, on the Spanish highway, the couple observes the sky and checks the weather forecast. “At the time, they were forecasting rain, but nothing to worry about”specifies Philippe. But at Chiva, near Valencia, the police made them leave the highway, which was cut off to traffic. They find an industrial zone on the heights of the village and park their car while waiting for the lull. But then, the water suddenly rises and invades the passenger compartment. That evening, Chiva became one of the municipalities hardest hit by the disaster. The general toll shows, at least, 217 deaths.

With water rushing up to their waists, Valérie and Philippe manage to go out into the street, with their dogs. By a miracle, a resident, on the upper floor of a building, brings them into his home by throwing them his keys, hanging on a rope. They escaped unscathed, but lost their car and all their belongings.

Wednesday October 30, no longer having a telephone, “the network was also inaccessible”they go to a police station in the hope of receiving help and the means to contact the embassy and relatives. They come out shocked. “They kicked us outtestifies Valérie. One of the police officers clearly told us that they were not intended to rescue us or our dogs.”

Between anger and solidarity

Feeling left behind, they finally find refuge in a hotel near the highway. “It’s the Ignacio Hotelspecifies Philippe. Their entire downstairs was destroyed, but not the bedrooms upstairs.” The managers give them one, “we wanted to pay, they said no!” Thanks to the help of a disaster victim, Valérie manages to contact her two sons in France. They are the ones who will pick them up, by their own means, by car from France on Friday 1^is November.

While waiting, the couple helped hotel staff clean up the mess. “We don't speak Spanish, but at the end we hugged each other. They were exceptional.” But once they returned home, the anger did not dissipate. “We were saved by the victims, even though they had lost everything. But normally, it was the police and the emergency services who should have done it”protests Valérie. “We understand their anger against their government”continues Philippe. They themselves claim to have seen no police officer or firefighters near the victims the day after the tragedy. “We are complainers in France, but that's where we say to ourselves that we are lucky when disasters happen to us. However, it is Spain, a European country.”

Keep a link

Almost a week after the tragedy, the couple keeps thinking about October 29. “We were very luckyrecognizes Valérie. But we are two old fools with two dogs. What if it had been people with children instead of us?”

Now they are facing their insurance company. Here again, the blow is severe. “The first thing they told us was the amount of the deductibleshe continues. Then they told us that we had to find our car to have it inspected. But will we be able to do it?” Their vehicle, now wrecked, is still in Chiva.

Alongside their anger and fatigue, Valérie and Philippe nevertheless have a strong thought for the Spaniards who helped them. “The hotel managers invited us to come back next year, to have a party, it’s a strong message!” Until then, they plan to send them some gifts, perhaps for the Christmas holidays.