As clean-up efforts continue in the aftermath of Spain’s most devastating storm in recent history, residents along the Mediterranean coast in Valencia, who have been most deeply affected, are considering the decision of whether to rebuild or move out.
“It’s hard to leave everything, but I can’t keep investing in something that I know can wash away again. I don’t want to live with that fear,” Alba, a resident of Masanasa, one of the destroyed towns, told the Spanish news site El Debate.
Another resident also told El Debate that many of her neighbors were seriously doubting whether rebuilding was a good idea.
“We have no assurance that this couldn’t happen again,” she said. “We don’t want to lose everything again.”
The country’s water technocrats had warned for 15 years that the ravines where the most devastating flash flooding occurred—and in which some 200 people died and entire towns were destroyed—required flood prevention measures. However, no government carried them out and the current government put the nail in the coffin in 2021, citing new environmental standards. Experts interviewed by El Debate disagreed on the best means of preventing flooding, but even if new projects are decided on, there is no guarantee that history will not repeat itself—whether in record rainfall or lack of government action.
The damage caused by the storm includes not only the loss of life and family homes but also the loss of business. According to the Valencia Chamber of Commerce, more than 48,700 companies and the work of 44,900 self-employed residents spanning 68 municipalities have been negatively affected by the storm. The loss of business represents €53.1 billion annually, or almost a third of the provincial production total. The losses in commerce and hospitality exceed €1.5 billion. The most affected sectors are retail and farming. Some 5,000 stores were damaged and 33,700 hectares of orange and persimmon crops have been lost.
The central government of Pedro Sánchez has approved an aid package but the money has yet to reach the victims and their businesses.
“It is a priority that small businesses receive the money now. The situation is unsustainable for thousands of businesses and workers,” the president of the Valencia Chamber of Commerce, José Vicente Morata, said during a meeting with Spain’s Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo.
While administrations debate long-term solutions, neighbors face immediate decisions.
So far, no one in the government or its bureaucracies has stepped down or been fired, despite clear signs of mismanagement of the disaster, particularly by Sánchez and his government which refused to declare a national emergency and unleash the resources of the central government in the immediate aftermath. It has also, so far, not declared a public health emergency despite the appearance of leptospirosis, a bacteria infection related to sewage water.
Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Manzón, from the Partido Popular, appeared before the region’s parliament on Friday to give an account of his management of the situation. In Madrid, several ministers have also already gone before the national parliament and the senate. Sánchez has scheduled his own appearance in parliament for November 27, excusing the late date due to his attendance at the G20 summit in Brazil this week. Outraged by Sánchez’s appearance in parliament a full month after the disaster, PP pointed out:
“It will take a month for the Cortes Generales [Spanish parliament] to hear the President of the Government speak about a tragedy with 225 deaths. It is a parliamentary anomaly and a lack of respect not only for Congress but also for the victims and those affected by the tragedy,” party members said. “Even in this, he shows his arrogance.”
