the essential
A week after the terrible floods which affected the Valencia region, residents continue their efforts to help the victims. Youma, a young student from Toulouse, is there.
Images of the disaster went around the world. Last week, storm DANA hit the Valencia region hard, causing immense human and material losses. A disastrous situation which led to a huge outpouring of solidarity among the Valencians. “As early as Thursday or Friday, there were a lot of young people in the hardest hit villages,” remembers Youma, a young student present on site.
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“It has become the new symbol of Valencia, all the young people walk around in boots with shovels and brooms in their hands. Since Saturday, buses have been set up for better organization of volunteers, but from Friday, some would set off on foot and walk an hour or two to help.”
“At the moment, we are not aware of the seriousness of the situation”
The young student from Toulouse is pursuing a double law degree between a Toulouse establishment and a Valencian establishment. A resident of Terreta for a year, she was there during the floods. “We received a first alert message on Tuesday evening, but certain villages had already been affected” explains the woman who was still outside with friends during the first message.
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“At the moment, we didn't realize the seriousness of the situation. In the center of Valencia, we weren't really affected. There was a lot of wind, rain and classes were canceled but That’s all. It was when the images came out the next day that a wave of panic appeared.”
DR
“Everything was full in the food bank”
Quickly, Youma also offered her help: “On Friday, I went to the Mestalla stadium, which was transformed into a collection point. I started by making donations of basic necessities. Then, during the days that followed , I went there to help either collect donations or to clear and clean the streets and homes.
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“On the spot, it depends on the villages. Some have already been cleaned and others are still abandoned. There is nothing left, in some places, only the upper floors remain. The rest is buried under the mud” she describes. “The best thing is the reaction of the victims. That's what keeps everyone going, I think. They thank us constantly. People offer us water and snacks even though we barely come to bring them food, it’s a lot of solidarity and emotion.”
According to a latest provisional report, nearly 217 people have already lost their lives in these floods, including 213 in the Valencia region alone.
