at least 205 dead and “dozens and dozens” of people still missing

Devastating floods in southeastern Spain have already claimed the lives of at least 205 people, a number expected to rise due to the number of missing people. According to the latest report published by Cecopi (Integrated Operational Coordination Center) Friday 1^is October, 202 people died in the Valencia region. Two other bodies were found in Castile-La Mancha and another in Andalusia. Many people are still missing, without their precise number being known.

Several days after the tragedy, calls for help and poignant testimonies from residents left to their own devices and lacking everything are multiplying on radios and televisions, with state aid being awaited. Survivors also have to face acts of looting and theft. The police announced that they had already arrested 50 people.

To deal with the situation, 500 additional soldiers were deployed Friday morning in the region and 500 others will be deployed on Saturday, the president of the Valencia region, Carlos Mazon, and the Minister of the Interior announced to the press, Fernando Grande-Marlaska. These reinforcements will bring the number of soldiers deployed in the Valencia region to 2,200.

“Dozens and dozens” of missing people

Proof of the seriousness of the situation, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, assured that the government was ready to send “the 120,000 men of the army if necessary” and leave them there as long as necessary. The army's priorities are to reopen the roads to allow the delivery of aid, particularly food, but also to help in the search for missing people, the exact number of which is not known, but is very high. .

The government recognized Thursday that there were “dozens and dozens”suggesting an extraordinarily heavy human toll and undoubtedly unprecedented for a natural disaster in the contemporary history of Spain. An officer from the civil guard divers unit (equivalent to the gendarmerie), Commander Pizarro, declared on public radio that the discovery of bodies was « permanente ».

“There are mountains of cars” in the mud, testified Amparo Fort, the mayor of Chiva, a town near Valencia. “Many are empty, but for others it is clear that they have occupants. » Alerted too late to the seriousness of the situation, many people were surprised in their cars. The incomprehension and anger of the residents persisted after the tragedy. Directly accused, particularly in the press, Mr. Mazon, the president of the Valencia region, has not yet responded to the criticism.

Volunteers called to return home

In this dismal panorama, Friday, a public holiday in Spain, nevertheless gave rise to tremendous spontaneous demonstrations of solidarity. In the morning, thousands of people – carrying brooms, shovels, food and even diapers – left Valencia, a city which was not affected by the floods, on foot to go to devastated neighboring towns. .

The number of these volunteers was such that the authorities called on them to stay at home. “It is imperative, imperative, that they return home” so as not to hinder traffic, said Mr. Mazon, adding that he was considering restrictive measures “not only for vehicles, but also for pedestrians”.