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| Valencia floods: Spain clings to fragments of hope in time of disaster | Valencia floods: Spain clings to fragments of hope in time of disaster |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Daniel Burguet was filmed rescuing trapped children during the Valencia floods | |
| Floods and torrential rain returned to the Valencia region on Wednesday night, but this time they were ready for it, and the areas hit two weeks ago escaped further disaster. | Floods and torrential rain returned to the Valencia region on Wednesday night, but this time they were ready for it, and the areas hit two weeks ago escaped further disaster. |
| More than 220 people died in this eastern coastal area at the end of October, and the town of Paiporta was hit hardest with the loss of 60 lives. | More than 220 people died in this eastern coastal area at the end of October, and the town of Paiporta was hit hardest with the loss of 60 lives. |
| In the midst of despair the local population are understandably searching for beacons of hope, for example the remarkable story of what happened at the Whitby English language school. | In the midst of despair the local population are understandably searching for beacons of hope, for example the remarkable story of what happened at the Whitby English language school. |
| As the whole road became engulfed in water, the college’s co-director, Daniel Burguet, repeatedly pounded against a door with a chair leg that he’d just picked up. | As the whole road became engulfed in water, the college’s co-director, Daniel Burguet, repeatedly pounded against a door with a chair leg that he’d just picked up. |
| Filmed from a 3rd floor balcony across the street, Daniel is seen smashing constantly against the glass. | Filmed from a 3rd floor balcony across the street, Daniel is seen smashing constantly against the glass. |
| He is trapped with his 11-year-old daughter, Noa, and three younger children inside the school, unable to reach a higher floor. | He is trapped with his 11-year-old daughter, Noa, and three younger children inside the school, unable to reach a higher floor. |
| Eventually, Danny breaks down the door of the next building along and, one by one, he pulls the children to safety. | Eventually, Danny breaks down the door of the next building along and, one by one, he pulls the children to safety. |
| “When I got through that door, I felt so relieved. Finally, we were safe,” Daniel tells me as he carries on repairs to the school. | “When I got through that door, I felt so relieved. Finally, we were safe,” Daniel tells me as he carries on repairs to the school. |
| In the quest for fragments of solace, it’s also perhaps understandable that when tales of bravery are found, they are celebrated unashamedly. | In the quest for fragments of solace, it’s also perhaps understandable that when tales of bravery are found, they are celebrated unashamedly. |
| Local media have hailed Danny as the "Hero of Pairporta". | Local media have hailed Danny as the "Hero of Pairporta". |
| Daniel Burguet is now considered a local hero after a video of him smashing a door to take four children to safety went viral | |
| “There are a lot of people who did the same thing that day, many ‘heroes’ like me, if you want to call us that,” he says. | “There are a lot of people who did the same thing that day, many ‘heroes’ like me, if you want to call us that,” he says. |
| “I feel good about it. I feel the love of people around here. I was the one who was filmed, but there were many other heroes.” | “I feel good about it. I feel the love of people around here. I was the one who was filmed, but there were many other heroes.” |
| Rebuilding Spain’s shattered and traumatised communities will require an heroic effort that goes on for months. | Rebuilding Spain’s shattered and traumatised communities will require an heroic effort that goes on for months. |
| The threat hasn’t gone away. | The threat hasn’t gone away. |
| A fortnight after the worst floods to hit a single European country this century, Paiporta is still full of firefighters, police officers as well as the Red Cross and an army of daily volunteers. | A fortnight after the worst floods to hit a single European country this century, Paiporta is still full of firefighters, police officers as well as the Red Cross and an army of daily volunteers. |
| Volunteers and emergency services are working to clean the streets, two weeks after Paiporta's deadly floods | |
| But many residents feel the unofficial community-generated effort is not being matched by the authorities – either at the regional or national level. | But many residents feel the unofficial community-generated effort is not being matched by the authorities – either at the regional or national level. |
| “It was a tsunami,” declares Juan José Montane. | “It was a tsunami,” declares Juan José Montane. |
| He shows me the video he took from his apartment as floating cars were hurled against the walls below him. | He shows me the video he took from his apartment as floating cars were hurled against the walls below him. |
| “It was only thanks to God that I survived,” he exclaims, furiously making the sign of the cross three times. | “It was only thanks to God that I survived,” he exclaims, furiously making the sign of the cross three times. |
| Divine intervention aside, it’s the lack of intervention from the Valencia and central government which is now infuriating him. | Divine intervention aside, it’s the lack of intervention from the Valencia and central government which is now infuriating him. |
| “This is shameful, we feel abandoned," says Juan José. | “This is shameful, we feel abandoned," says Juan José. |
| "For four days we didn’t see the army coming to help. We need more troops here.” | "For four days we didn’t see the army coming to help. We need more troops here.” |
| His sister, Lourdes, fears for how the town will re-build with so much lost and now a severe lack of infrastructure. | His sister, Lourdes, fears for how the town will re-build with so much lost and now a severe lack of infrastructure. |
| “We feel imprisoned here. There are no roads, it is horrible,” she explains. | “We feel imprisoned here. There are no roads, it is horrible,” she explains. |
| "We lost everything in this town, everything.” | "We lost everything in this town, everything.” |
| Brother and sister Juan Jose and Lourdes Montane say they feel abandoned by the authorities | Brother and sister Juan Jose and Lourdes Montane say they feel abandoned by the authorities |
| Although the vast majority of houses are still standing, there is a lack of electricity, hot or drinking water in the streets that were the worst hit. | Although the vast majority of houses are still standing, there is a lack of electricity, hot or drinking water in the streets that were the worst hit. |
| In Paiporta, piles of mangled cars have been created on roundabouts and at other places out of the way of traffic. | In Paiporta, piles of mangled cars have been created on roundabouts and at other places out of the way of traffic. |
| It’s estimated as many as 100,000 cars were destroyed during the floods. | It’s estimated as many as 100,000 cars were destroyed during the floods. |
| Some abandoned vehicles that look pretty much intact, apart from a dented bonnet here or a flat tyre there, are not spared either. | Some abandoned vehicles that look pretty much intact, apart from a dented bonnet here or a flat tyre there, are not spared either. |
| Instead, they are grabbed by giant claw cranes that smash down through the windscreen and lift the vehicles away. | Instead, they are grabbed by giant claw cranes that smash down through the windscreen and lift the vehicles away. |
| The loss of possessions has been immense in this region. The loss of life crushing. | The loss of possessions has been immense in this region. The loss of life crushing. |
| And the trauma’s not over. | And the trauma’s not over. |
| The mayor has urged people to stay inside, as the local population waits for the latest flood alert to subside. | The mayor has urged people to stay inside, as the local population waits for the latest flood alert to subside. |
| Additional reporting by Bruno Boelpaep and Juan A. Dominguez | Additional reporting by Bruno Boelpaep and Juan A. Dominguez |
| Get in touch | Get in touch |
| Are you in Spain? If it's safe to do so, please share your experiences. | Are you in Spain? If it's safe to do so, please share your experiences. |
| You can get in touch by following this link | You can get in touch by following this link |
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