By Lynsey Chutel, José Bautista and Amelia Nierenberg
They arrived via bus, tractor, or on foot. They trudged through mud with hopes of assisting in the cleanup of neighborhoods devastated by flooding that has claimed at least 214 lives.
Over the weekend, thousands of Spaniards flocked to the flood-stricken Valencia, following the nation’s most severe natural disaster in recent memory which shocked the populace with scenes of overturned vehicles and homes destroyed by raging waters.
The devastation has turned into a political strife and raised concerns regarding climate change repercussions. On Sunday morning, as King Felipe VI navigated through a crowd in Paiporta, a town in Valencia with over 60 fatalities, furious protesters yelled and hurled mud.
“Murderers!” the crowd yelled, as seen in video footage circulated by Spanish news outlets.
Felipe was accompanied by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Carlos Mazón, the Valencia regional president, who faced criticism from many locals for issuing official alerts only after the flooding had become life-threatening.
Numerous residents of Paiporta, a focal point of the calamity, continue awaiting essential supplies from emergency services — as well as news about their missing family members.
On Sunday, the sorrow, anxiety, and fury transformed into frustration as resources seemed allocated for an official walk-through, while emergency responders still rushed to locate survivors.
“You deserted us!” some demonstrators yelled at the officials, as the men surrounding the king opened black umbrellas to shield him from the mud. “Leave this place!”
In spite of the outrage directed at Spanish authorities, for many, the most pressing and vital response was to offer assistance.
As the military, police, and civil guards searched for survivors and cleared debris, civilians participated in the effort wherever possible, resolved to aid Valencia and nearby areas in rebuilding and helping its inhabitants recuperate.
On Saturday, a convoy of tractors entered urban Valencia, a region on Spain’s eastern coast, driven by local farmers who arrived to help with debris removal. “The countryside is once again demonstrating its solidarity,” remarked Valencia’s agricultural association on social media.
With major routes in Valencia province blocked to traffic, many chose to walk, wielding brooms, rakes, and buckets, as depicted in footage shown by Spanish broadcasters. A vast throng crossed the bridge to Paiporta, where mud still choked the streets following a river overflow.
In urban Valencia, the city’s renowned soccer club opened Mestalla Stadium as an emergency hub where citizens could donate bags of food, clothing, and water. City officials and volunteers also established a food bank, distributing meals at the stadium’s main entrance.
“The sight of Mestalla filled with people uniting to donate goods, cheering each time a truck departs loaded with food and essentials, will be unforgettable,” stated Javier Solís, the club’s corporate director.
Alongside star athletes like José Gayà and Jaume Doménech, fans and volunteers organized and packed food for devastated neighborhoods. Candela Reig Moril, a 21-year-old industrial engineering student from central Valencia, helped arrange university students eager to contribute, ultimately collaborating with hundreds of individuals wanting to assist their city.
“Many arrive in tears because of this enormous, unforeseen disaster,” Reig Moril said. “Even little children have come to donate their toys. It’s truly moving to witness everyone so eager to express solidarity.”
Volunteers have utilized social media or message boards created in response to the catastrophe to determine how they can assist. They have offered lodging for displaced families or shelter for animals and have pledged their professional skills, ranging from logistics management to cooking.
Claudia Orts García, a nursing assistant, utilized a message board to gather food, medications, and feminine hygiene products. On Sunday, she and her partner plan to drive from Dénia, a port town south of Valencia city, to the most affected areas, where they will deliver the collected supplies. Friends who also wish to help have requested to accompany them. Orts García indicated that she will provide medical assistance whenever possible.
“We will assist in whatever is needed,” she stated.
Amid the urgency to aid those in need, there has also been a surge of criticism aimed at the Spanish government. Parts of Valencia received an entire year’s worth of rainfall within just eight hours, and some claimed government alerts were issued too late. Other victims expressed that rescue operations and police response were sluggish following the disaster. Dozens remained unaccounted for by Saturday.
For Toni Zamorano, who spent hours trapped on the roof of his car as rain poured, the volunteers have become a vital resource. In Sedaví, where homes and businesses were entirely inundated, Zamorano said he lost everything.
Without the volunteers working from dawn till dusk, he indicated he would have been without clothing, food, and water. He expressed that not only have the volunteers supplied basic needs, but they have also rekindled his faith in humanity.
“I sense that humanity can still overlook its differences. Here, race or economic status hold no value,” he stated. “This solidarity is uplifting; then, when you close your eyes to sleep, you recall everything you have witnessed and grasp the magnitude of this disaster.”
