Anger is growing in the aftermath of the deadliest floods in 50 years in Spain. Over 200 people have so far been confirmed dead in the regions of Valencia, Castile-La Mancha, and Andalusia after the storm that hit on Tuesday.
In the Valencia suburb of Paiporta, 27-year-old David Romero laments the "catastrophe" he has seen. According to him, the area was first warned after a nearby river overflowed and caught people off guard on the streets.
Block after block, street after street, not a single shop is left, he tells AFP.
On Sunday, Spain's Meteorological Institute Aemet warned of heavy rainfall and early on Tuesday, a red warning, the highest level for the effects of bad weather, was issued. But the civil defense authority did not issue a warning until 8 pm on Tuesday evening.
Walking kilometers for supplies
Many are still cut off from the outside world due to impassable roads covered with destroyed cars, debris, and mud. Some areas lack electricity, running water, and stable phone connections. People have been forced to walk several kilometers to get supplies.
The mayor of Alfafar, Juan Ramón Adsuara, says that emergency aid is nowhere near sufficient for the people affected by an "extreme situation".
There are people living with bodies at home. It's very sad, he says according to AP.
Focusing on finding the dead
Survivors and volunteers have begun clearing away mud and debris while rescue personnel continue to search for the dead. The death toll is rising all the time, and more are feared to be trapped in wrecked cars and flooded garages.
On Friday, 500 soldiers were deployed after Valencia's regional leader Carlos Mazón requested military aid to, among other things, distribute supplies as rescue workers are on their knees.
As supplies have been delayed, there have also been reports of people looting shops. Already on Wednesday, the police reported that 39 people had been arrested.
We're not thieves, says Nieves Vargas, who works as a janitor at a school, to AP, and continues:
But we need to eat. Look what I'm taking: baby food for the baby.
