After two days of wandering during which his family thought he was dead, Francisco finally managed to return to his neighborhood, which was completely destroyed by the violent floods.
“I’m on my way.” At the end of two days of anguish for his family, Francisco Baixauli, a 53-year-old man from Alfafar, a town located in the suburbs of Valencia, was able to return to his home this Thursday, October 31 after 48 hours of wandering in due to the violent floods that affected the region which blocked access to his neighborhood.
When the waters rose, this port employee, who was returning from his work day, found himself stranded in a neighboring town. The loss of telephone network, which affected the entire area, prevented him from warning his relatives who believed he was dead for many hours.
“I was coming back from the port of Sagunto (north of the city, editor's note) and I had to go to Valencia. But I had to stay in Castellar, it was the only place I could go. It was only today that I was able to come home,” he explains, without explaining where he has spent the last few hours.
Desolation and emotion
On Thursday, Francisco decided to walk the streets full of mud and waste and try to reach his family, backpack on his back. When he finally finds his street, the fifty-year-old discovers a landscape of chaos, where cars stuck together rub shoulders with businesses devastated by the floods.
The reunion with his wife, whom he hugs tightly, is extremely moving. Both let out a few tears of emotion and relief.
“We were very scared because my husband didn't come home and we didn't know where he was. Meanwhile the water was rising and people were desperate,” says Angela Munoz.
In the company of the latter, his son Miguel and his dog, Francisco set out in search of food while his town is still deprived of running water and electricity. At present, many locals are complaining about the lack of reaction from the authorities.
While searches have resumed in the south-east of Spain and dozens of people are still missing, a final report, still provisional, now shows 158 dead.
Thomas Joubert with Hugo Septier
