Residents in disaster-stricken areas have begun clearing mud and repairing damaged buildings and infrastructure. Volunteers from nearby regions have also come to assist. Throughout Spain, donation drives have been launched to support affected residents. VALENCIA, Spain, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Thick layers of mud coated the streets as the floodwaters receded. Numerous shops and homes showed extensive damage, while flood-soaked cars lay scattered along roads, some even stacked atop one another. Torrential rains over recent days have triggered Spain's worst flooding in decades, claiming over 200 lives. Alfafar, located on the outskirts of Valencia in eastern Spain, is among the areas hardest hit by the flooding. Diego, a local bar owner who declined to give his first name, shared with Xinhua his experience on Oct.29, the day when the flood began. "At first, it hardly rained here, it was just very windy," which led many to disregard the warnings from the meteorological department. Due to the area's geographical features, rainwater accumulated from surrounding areas and flooded the town. Around 6:30 p.m., as many were heading home from work, people began noticing water pooling on roads, with levels rising alarmingly fast. "The flood came so suddenly. Many people didn't even have time to react and were trapped in their cars," said Anna Utterstrom, a local resident who works at a local home goods store. She said that over 300 people took shelter in the store that night. "The situation was chaotic, and fear and anxiety were etched on everyone's faces," she recalled. The flooding disrupted local power, water supply, and communication services, rendering several roads impassable. As of Nov. 1, access to some severely affected areas remained possible only on foot. High-speed train services from Madrid and Barcelona to the Valencia region were suspended. Spain's Minister of Transportation Oscar Puente announced that high-speed train services are expected to resume within two weeks, though suburban rail restoration remains uncertain. In the aftermath of the flood, some supermarkets and stores were looted, and personal belongings in homes were reported stolen. With the arrival of police and military relief forces, social order has gradually stabilized, according to local residents. The Spanish government announced a three-day nationwide mourning period from midnight on Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. The death toll from the flooding had risen to 211 as of Saturday morning, according to the government. ■ Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker is still recovering after fatal floods at the end of October residents affected by the DANA storm are grateful for the outpouring of support but call for a sustainable plan as aid "will be needed for many months." though they say they’ve received so many donations that the system has become overwhelmed explaining they are “totally overwhelmed,” Toni Valero spokesperson for the Groups Coordination Unit Receiving and organizing donations “is difficult and time-consuming,” though they are all very “grateful.” from the Parc Alcosa neighborhood in Alfafar and institutions to "plan and think about how to fix the issue." She stresses that a return to normality "will take time" as "the Valencian metropolitan area is completely devastated." Following the storm, dozens of vehicles and trucks carrying volunteers arrived at Parc Alcosa where many organized the volunteer efforts while hundreds cleaned streets and homes Volunteers gathered cleaning supplies like bleach and washing powder and removed used masks and gloves celebrating that they could now "start using their washing machines." Days after the floods, around 130,000 people, according to the Spanish government, took to the streets in Valencia city center, calling for the Valencian president, Carlos Manzón, to step down for his handling of the DANA storm. The march started at the City Council square, and protests were organized in Alacant and Elx, two of the biggest cities in the Valencia region. Almost 150 groups called on to take to the streets in what was considered a "without a doubt a massive demonstration," gathering "many of those affected, who walked to Valencia," Anna Oliver, a spokesperson, told the Catalan News Agency. Organizers had planned for a silent protest to honor the more than 200 victims, but everyone "felt the indignation," Oliver added and chanted against Mazón. During the protest, many threw mud at the government headquarters, with police having to intervene, attacking many protestors. The People's Party, the political force of Mazón, criticized the demonstration, saying that "Catalan groups in the so-called 'Catalan Countries' came to protest and collapse Valencia," a text published on the PP's account on X, formerly Twitter, reads. "They do not care about victims, only politics," the text adds. Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone Bauhaus is reopening its Alfafar location in Valencia on the Costa del Azahar to customers The damage to and in the building caused by the great flood has been repaired the Bauhaus relief fund of around 300,000 euros provided quick and unbureaucratic support to 60 employees who were directly affected by the catastrophic flooding the region of Valencia in the south-east of Spain was hit by devastating floods as a result of the DANA weather phenomenon are considered to be one of the worst natural disasters in the country's recent history Work on reopening began as early as November 2024 This was followed by the construction of the new shelving and furniture from December and the installation of the entire range from January 2025 the reopening was celebrated with around 1,500 residents volunteers and experts over a paella and fireworks Bauhaus Alfafar is also launching innovations These include new exhibitions that allow details to be visualised and planned even better the range of building materials has been expanded to offer both professionals and private individuals complete solutions The store first opened its doors in March 2017 It has a sales area of more than 13,400 m² including 3,000 m² for the gardening department All important international markets at a glanceThe unique data collection on the worldwide do-it-yourself trade DIY International+Well informed at all times.  The online magazine publishes regularly updated reports features and analyses from the global DIY industry The subscription gives you full access to the premium content marked DIY+ on this website Print issueThis is an indispensable aid to assortment design in DIY stores and specialist stores with home improvement and garden departments Largest "STadtgarten" in the Adrian regionBauhaus opens its fourth location in SloveniaAround ten months after the start of construction Bauhaus has opened its fourth location in … GermanyCorrection: Top 6 DIY stores down 0.7 per centThe six largest DIY store operators in Germany closed 2024 down 0.7 per cent German DIY-marketTop 6 DIY stores down 1.6 per centThe six largest DIY store operators in Germany closed 2024 with a minus of 1.6 per cent DIY elevates look in ThailandAfter sprucing up outlets in Poland and Indonesia DIY sets up in South AfricaThe Malaysian retail chain is preparing its market entry on the African continent Brico in BelgiumBrand times fiveThe Belgian DIY market leader Brico uses five size concepts from city stores to DIY project stores… All FieldsNow a Benelux playerBelgian service provider All Fields works for manufacturers and retailers in the DIY sector  IPM EssenPlant Power at IPM ExpressThis year IPM Essen will be offering new formats on the subject of plants This article was published more than 6 months ago A man stands next to flooded cars piled up in Valencia (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)Manu Fernandez/The Associated Press A man reacts in front of houses affected by floods in Utiel Cars are piled up on a residential street in the aftermath of torrential rains that caused flooding People pick up goods in a supermarket affected by the floods in Valencia People line up to collect water after flooding hit large parts of the country in the Paiporta municipality of Valencia A drone view shows debris and piled up objects in a destroyed train track after deadly flooding Soldiers look at a crashed van after flash floods devastated the town of Letur eastern Spain.OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP/Getty Images Wrecked cars on the side of a road after flash floods affected Paiporta eastern Spain.MANAURE QUINTERO/AFP/Getty Images Residents try to clean their houses as the street is covered in mud after flash floods affected La Torre A ping pong racket covered in mud pictured on a street after flash floods affected the town of Alfafar in the region of Valencia.JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images A woman walks past a Taco Bell with a damaged car after a flooding in Valencia Vehicles are seen piled up after being swept away by floods on a motorway in Valencia Damaged cars remain submerged in the water after flash floods affected the town of Alfafar Residents try to clean their houses as the street is covered in mud in the town of Alfafar region of Valencia.JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images Wreckage of cars remain submerged in the water after flash floods in the town of Alfafar Residents try to clean their houses as the street is covered in mud after flash floods affected the town of Alfafar Emergency service workers in a damaged street after flash floods ravaged the town of Letur southwest of Valencia.OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP/Getty Images Crews searched for bodies in stranded cars and sodden buildings Thursday as residents salvaged what they could from their ruined homes following monstrous flash floods in Spain that claimed at least 158 lives with 155 deaths confirmed in the eastern Valencia region alone More horrors emerged Thursday from the debris and ubiquitous layers of mud left by the walls of water that produced Spain’s deadliest natural disaster in living memory The damage from the storm late Tuesday and early Wednesday recalled the aftermath of a tsunami with survivors left to pick up the pieces as they mourn their loved ones Cars were piled on one another like fallen dominoes downed power lines and household items all mired in mud that covered streets in dozens of communities in Valencia a region south of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast An unknown number of people are still missing there are dead people inside some vehicles,” Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente said early Thursday before the death toll spiked from 95 on Wednesday night Rushing water turned narrow streets into death traps and spawned rivers that tore through homes and businesses, sweeping away cars, people and everything else in its path. The floods demolished bridges and left roads unrecognizable said he saved several people who were trapped in their cars on the flooded V-31 highway south of Valencia city The road rapidly became a floating graveyard strewn with hundreds of vehicles I am from nearby so I tried to help and rescue people Regional authorities said late Wednesday that rescuers in helicopters saved some 70 people stranded on rooftops and in cars “We are searching house by house,” Angel Martinez one of 1,000 soldiers helping with rescue efforts told Spain’s national radio RNE from the town of Utiel An Associated Press journalist saw rescuers remove seven body bags from an underground garage in Barrio de la Torre “Our priority is to find the victims and the missing so we can help end the suffering of their families,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said after meeting with officials and emergency services in Valencia on Thursday the first of three official days of mourning At least 158 people have been killed in possibly the deadliest flooding to hit Spain in its modern history after torrential rain battered the eastern region of Valencia Spain’s Mediterranean coast is used to autumn storms that can cause flooding but this was the most powerful flash flood in recent memory which is also behind increasingly high temperatures and droughts in Spain and the heating up of the Mediterranean Sea Human-caused climate change has doubled the likelihood of a storm like this week’s deluge in Valencia according to a rapid but partial analysis Thursday by World Weather Attribution comprising dozens of international scientists who study global warming’s role in extreme weather Spain has suffered through an almost two-year drought the ground was so hard that it could not absorb the rain The violent weather event surprised regional government officials Spain’s national weather service said it rained more in eight hours in the Valencian town of Chiva than it had in the preceding 20 months A man wept as he showed a reporter from national broadcaster RTVE the shell of what was once the ground floor of his home in Catarroja It looked as though a bomb had detonated inside mayor Maribel Albalat said Thursday that at least 62 people had perished in the community of 25,000 next to Valencia city And we found a lot of elderly people in the town centre,” Albalat told RTVE “There were also a lot of people who came to get their cars out of their garages … it was a real trap.’ People try to clean a house as the street is covered in mud on Oct eastern Spain.JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images While the most suffering was inflicted on municipalities near the city of Valencia the storms unleashed their fury over huge swaths of the south and eastern coast of the Iberian peninsula Two fatalities were confirmed in the neighbouring Castilla La Mancha region and one in southern Andalusia Greenhouses and farms across southern Spain known as Europe’s garden for its exported produce were also ruined by heavy rains and flooding The storms spawned a freak tornado in Valencia and a hail storm that punched holes in cars in Andalusia Homes were left without water as far southwest as Malaga in Andalusia Heavy rains continued Thursday farther north as the Spanish weather agency issued alerts for several counties in Castellon “This storm front is still with us,” the prime minister said “Stay home and heed the official recommendation and you will help save lives.” Frustration brews as residents hunt for basic supplies anger grew over the authorities’ handling of the crisis both for their late warnings of the looming floods and the chaotic relief response Many survivors had to walk long distances in sticky mud to find food and water Most of their cars had been destroyed and the mud destruction and debris left by the storm made some roads unpassable Some pushed shopping carts along sodden streets while others carried their children to keep them out of the muck Some 150,000 people in Valencia were without electricity on Wednesday An unknown number did not have running water and were relying on whatever bottled water they could find The region remained partly isolated with several roads cut off and train lines interrupted including the high-speed service to Madrid Officials said it would take two to three weeks to repair that damaged line And with emergency personnel focused on recovering the dead survivors were left to find basic supplies and clean up the mess Volunteers joined locals in moving wrecked vehicles Valencia regional President Carlos Mazon on Thursday asked if Spain’s army could assist with distributing basic goods to the population The government in Madrid responded by promising to send in 500 more soldiers But necessity – and the postapocalyptic atmosphere – prompted some to enter abandoned stores The National Police arrested 39 people for looting on Wednesday The Civil Guard said it detained 11 people for thefts in shopping malls while its officers were also deployed to stop people stealing from cars Some people said they had to steal supplies especially those who have no running water or a way to get to stores that were not wrecked I work as a cleaner at the school for the council Look at what I’m picking up: baby food for the baby,” said Nieves Vargas in a local supermarket whose doors had been tossed aside by the water and was unattended by staff Catastrophic flash floods that have killed dozens in Spain are caused by a destructive weather system in which cold and warm air meet and produce powerful rain clouds called DANA Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate If you do not see your comment posted immediately it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons or for abuse. For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. ‘By the time they warned homes were flooding I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A terrified Valencia flood victim has revealed the scale of the devastation after heavy floodwaters engulfed her home in a matter of minutes Alba Paredes Borja is from the Spanish town of Alfafar, one of the areas hardest hit by the deadly storm where local authorities are calling for urgent help in receiving food “I’m terrified. Everything looks apocalyptic,” she told The Independent. The floods – known as the “cold drop” or DANA phenomena – have claimed 158 lives including at least three people in the municipality leaving the city in ruins and cut off from all communication When the heavy rain started on Tuesday night recalls how she narrowly escaped when muddy water started gushing into her house Alba explained how she was alone when the disaster struck “By the time they issued a warning that homes were flooding “The situation was overwhelming; I felt lost and scared watching my home fill with water,” she added “There’s nothing left – just mud,” Alba said Residents in her neighbourhood woke up to a grim scene with overturned cars making it almost impossible to walk around “Food is scarce since all the supermarkets have been looted You can’t enter or leave the area because everything is blocked While communications have been restored today We’re a group of people trying to clear the mud from our homes but there’s not much help available,” Alba explained Everyone around me has suffered the same fate.” Those who managed to escape the floods sought refuge at the homes of relatives and neighbours But others have been forced to sleep in doorways and abandoned buildings People are fighting for food and just trying to survive “Those who managed to save their cars before the floods hit have been able to go elsewhere to buy food But those without cars are struggling to eat surviving on whatever little they could salvage.” As emergency services continue their frantic rescue efforts, the official number of people killed by flash floods in Spain has risen to 158 Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has urged residents to stay at home, warning the devastation is “not finished” and declaring Valencia a “disaster zone” amid warnings of more extreme weather to come. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies The eastern Spanish region of Valencia, one of Spain’s most important agricultural regions, has been hit by flash floods that left roads and towns under water after heavy rains on Tuesday, killing at least 62 people, local authorities said on Wednesday, the 30th of October, reports Reuters and rescue services continued their efforts to reach the worst-hit areas told a press conference that some people were still isolated in difficult to reach areas “If (emergency services) have not arrived it is not because of a lack of resources or unpreparedness but because of access problems,” Mazon said adding that getting to certain areas is “absolutely impossible” Dozens of videos were posted on social media showing people trapped in floods cars floating and streets submerged in floodwaters — Tv2000.it (@TV2000it) October 30, 2024 — Disasters Daily (@DisastersAndI) October 29, 2024 Several cars are swept away by floods in Utiel of Valencia province TELEGRAM JOIN 👉 https://t.co/9cTkji5aZqpic.twitter.com/AaBrWmPf1Q — Disaster News (@Top_Disaster) October 29, 2024 Devastating image aftermath flood in the Alfafar in the province of Valencia, Spain 🇪🇸 (30.10.2024) pic.twitter.com/HAv3vRgP2z — Disaster News (@Top_Disaster) October 30, 2024 Emergency services in the region urged people to avoid any form of road travel and to follow further information from official sources Trains to Madrid and Barcelona were cancelled due to the flooding and schools and other essential services were closed in the worst affected areas A UME military unit specialised in rescue operations was deployed in some areas to assist local rescuers The Spanish national meteorological agency AEMET issued a red alert in Valencia and 200 mm of rainfall was recorded in some areas The warning was downgraded to yellow on Wednesday as the rain had largely stopped The death toll appears to be the highest in Europe from flooding since 2021 It is the worst flooding disaster in Spain since 1996 when 87 people died and 180 were injured in floods near Buesca in the Pyrenees Scientists say that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in the region due to climate change Meteorologists believe that the warming of the Mediterranean Sea is a major factor in the increase in heavy rainfall Also read: Beekeepers sounding the alarm: we eat fake Chinese products while locally made honey is left to gather dust Follow us on Facebook and X! Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe Spain | Spanish rescuers opened a temporary morgue in a convention centre and battled to reach areas still cut off on Saturday (AEDT) as the death toll from catastrophic floods rose to 205 people in Europe’s worst weather disaster in five decades the eastern region that bore the brunt of the devastation about 500 soldiers were deployed to hunt for people who are still missing and help survivors of the storm which triggered a fresh weather alert in Huelva in southwestern Spain SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Read MoreFloodsExtreme weatherSpainTragedyLatest In EuropeFetching latest articles In Castellón street in Alfafar you can find this peculiar outlet that changes its prices every day (Thursday being the cheapest day) online retailers receive returns from hundreds of customers due to poor product condition defective packaging or simply because they have had second thoughts and don’t want the product Faced with the difficulty of putting these products back on the market a new business is spreading like wildfire in Spain: the outlets for returned products on Amazon Crazy Day Factory, located in Alfafar, is the outlet amazon returns and other online platforms cheaper in the city View this post on Instagram A post shared by Crazy Day Factory Valencia (@crazydayfactoryvalencia) According to the latest price update of April 2024, every Friday, the store renews its stock and sets the price of all products at €30. Thereafter, prices decrease daily: 25 euros on Saturday, 20 euros on Sunday, 15 euros on Monday, 10 euros on Tuesday, 5 euros on Wednesday and finally, 3 euros on Thursday. Despite the low prices on Thursday, the lines to enter the store are not exclusive to this day. On Fridays, hundreds of people crowd the doors of Crazy Day Factory from early in the morning to get their first chance to buy the new products. Often, the best products are buried under big boxes, so anyone looking to find a bargain will have to roll up their sleeves and rummage around. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Crazy Day Factory Valencia (@crazydayfactoryvalencia) offering a wide range of products from home goods and electronics to toys and kitchenware Some of the products that have been highlighted on its social networks include vacuum cleaners coffee machines or video surveillance cameras the store offers a trial Zone where customers can try products before purchasing them The only condition at the time of purchase is that each customer can only take a maximum of 10 products in a single cart World Subscribers only Romania enters government crisis amid election World Subscribers only In Zurich the leaf blower war or the anti-'woke' backlash World Subscribers only Germany's Friedrich Merz is embracing pragmatism World Subscribers only Founder of Sant'Egidio community fears next pope could undo Francis's legacy Opinion Subscribers only 'Russian gas and Europe is an old story that ended badly Economy Subscribers only Europe's steel industry flattened by crisis World Subscribers only How European countries plan to fund defense efforts France French MPs want to promote wrongly convicted Captain Dreyfus France Subscribers only Detective tells court Kim Kardashian's robbers were 'a fine team France Subscribers only Macron announces citizens' convention on school schedules France Subscribers only 21 charged over French prison attacks as investigation narrows in on drug traffickers Videos World expos: From Paris 1855 to Osaka 2025 Videos How the Trump administration is attacking scientific research in the US Videos Tesla cars set on fire in Las Vegas as calls to boycott Musk's company grow worldwide Videos Can France's nuclear deterrent protect Europe Opinion Subscribers only John Bolton: 'The term chaos is commonly used to describe the top of the Defense Department' Editorial European call to aid foreign researchers is too modest Opinion Subscribers only 'The American dream is dying' Magazine Subscribers only Tracking down the pianos taken from French Jews during the Nazi Occupation Magazine Subscribers only Eve Rodsky the American helping couples balance the mental load Magazine Subscribers only Desecration or more glory Joan Didion's private diaries are revealed Magazine Subscribers only For Jewish cartoonist Joann Sfar 2025."> Pixels Subscribers only Golden Owl solution is revealed but leaves players of 31-year hunt disappointed Pixels Subscribers only Secrets of decades-long Golden Owl treasure hunt to be revealed Lifestyle Inside Chanel's French leather workshops Culture Subscribers only The marvelous bronzes of Angkor on display at the Musée Guimet in Paris FeatureAfter the severe floods that stunned south-eastern Spain rescuers have to search through the cars swept away by the torrents of mud It was a busy time at the Mercadona supermarket in Paiporta a town of 25,000 residents south of Valencia swept through the town and into the store’s parking lot How many shoppers were trapped in the hundreds of square meters of the underground parking lot but it’s clear that the water rose to almost two meters high across the entire town and if there had been any hope of finding survivors it wouldn’t be here under this huge body of water untangling the web of cars by removing them one by one so firefighters could reach the site with heavy equipment more than three days after the torrential rains the pumps began to evacuate the water – thousands of cubic meters of muddy water "It’s very slow because it’s so large," explained Raoul Plou Martinez who came to help his colleagues in the Valencia region and the water level had only dropped by one meter We fear the worst," added a soldier from the Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) an army unit specializing in rescue operations Only then will firefighters be able to search the parking lot and check inside the vehicles You have 70.35% of this article left to read Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur En cliquant sur « Continuer à lire ici » et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez mais en les utilisant à des moments différents Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe. Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article Pour plus d’informations, merci de contacter notre service commercial. The Valencia floods of October 29 will go down in history as the deadliest disaster in modern Spanish history and the most catastrophic flood-related event in Europe in the past 50 years claiming the lives of more than 229 people.  One month on, the echoes of the tragedy continue to reverberate. The devastation on the ground remains palpable as communities struggle to recover from the catastrophic damage.  politicians are embroiled in a blame game over who is responsible while scientists work to understand the causes and scale of the disaster.  "Climate change kills," said the Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez shortly after the disaster during COP29 in Baku a bold statement linking both events immediately One of the first scientific groups to link climate change to the Valencia floods was Climameter a EU project designed to provide a rapid experimental framework for understanding weather extremes in a climate context.  In a report published shortly after the catastrophe they released a rapid attribution analysis the weather event responsible for the floods had been 15% more intense due to climate change.  "Climate change has increased the intensity of the flooding," Davide Faranda The study compared the event with similar meteorological events in the region and found that the DANAs had 15% more moisture and were 3°C warmer full professor of Physics at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and expert in meteorological phenomena and floods argues that while the DANA was "an extreme phenomenon," it is not "unusual" for the region.  but it is important to recognize that these kinds of floods have occurred many times along the Mediterranean coast The role of climate change is minor for the moment or we do not yet have enough statistics to prove it," he explains.  While Pino does not dispute the study's conclusion that 15% of the DANA's intensity was linked to climate change "the disaster would have been more or less the same."  The scientist adds that one of the problems with these catastrophic floods is that people have been living in areas prone to extreme weather "without taking it into account."  "We are really exposed to these types of floods but we’ve spent decades building houses and infrastructure in areas where water is supposed to flow Constructing in flood-prone areas has increased our exposure to these weather events, he believes, while at the same time, "our vulnerability has decreased due to weather warnings."  However, if these warnings are not followed -as happened in Valencia, where they were issued too late- the likelihood of a more impactful catastrophe "increases dramatically."  "It is a political decision. The time between meteorological authorities issuing warnings and mobile phone alerts is a political decision. In Valencia, the information was provided correctly, but those in charge did not make the decision to send the alert in time," he explains.  In the same vein, Faranda believes that weather warnings must be "taken seriously." The scientist stresses that the intensity of storms has reached a constant "red alert" level, which triggers warnings more frequently, and these need to be followed.  "Climate change is not static. If we keep warming the atmosphere, these events will become more intense, and areas that were not flood-prone will face increased risk of flooding," he adds.  But despite any measures we take to protect ourselves from extreme weather events, Faranda thinks that the only real solution is to reduce CO2 emissions. "It is our common responsibility."  To learn more about the Valencia floods, their connection to climate change, and whether Catalonia is prepared for extreme weather events, listen to this episode of our podcast, Filling the Sink.  The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Photograph: Russell Cheyne/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse ceciliafabiano/Rex/Shutterstock Photograph: Iranian army office/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Nazim Ali Khan/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock Photograph: Gianluigi Guercia/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Elijah Nouvelage/AFP/Getty Images ALFAFAR: Spanish rescuers opened a temporary morgue in a convention centre and battled to reach areas still cut off on Friday as the death toll from catastrophic floods rose to 205 people in Europe's worst weather disaster in five decades Three have died in Castilla La Mancha and Andalusia The number of dead is now almost level with the 209 who died during heavy floods in Romania in 1970 Floods in Portugal in 1967 killed nearly 500 people Some 500 soldiers were deployed to search for people who are still missing and help survivors of the storm with dozens of people still not accounted for minister in charge of cooperation with Spain's regions With about 75,000 homes still without electricity firefighters were siphoning petrol from cars that had been abandoned in the floods to power generators to get domestic supplies back on "We're going from car to car looking for any petrol we can find," said one firefighter who had travelled to Valencia from the southern region of Andalusia to assist rescue efforts carrying a plastic tube and empty bottles to collect the petrol from the cars' tanks A year of rain fell in just eight hours on Tuesday night rail tracks and bridges as rivers burst their banks Alcatraz closed in 1963 due to high operating costs after being open for just 29 years Chinese President Xi Jinping orders "all-out efforts" in the search and rescue operations "I'm looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody ideally a great Republican," Trump tells NBC Xi will hold bilateral talks with Putin on strategic ties and issues on international and regional agenda Sources say there was "alleged impropriety" in publicity Swindon and Greater Manchester area on suspicion of "terrorism offences" Copyright © 2025. The News International, All Rights Reserved | Contact Us | Authors The fourteen firefighters from the CPB Malaga provincial brigade sent as volunteers to Valencia to help with the rescue work after the devastating flooding have been working throughout the night on tasks to decongest the main artery that crosses Alfafar and Benetússer districts They managed to drain the water in a tunnel that had reached a height of seven metres Inside the tunnel they found more than thirty vehicles with victims For now it has not been revealed how many of the dead have been recovered explained that despite the fact that this is the worst disaster they have ever experienced they are maintaining their energy "at 300%" such as the earthquake in Lorca and the volcano in La Palma but this is the worst I have seen and I think I will see in my life," said the commander in charge of the contingent homes and establishments: "Everyone is in shock The firefighters departed from the Antequera and Estepona fire stations at around 11pm on Wednesday and They were joined on Friday by three more professionals from the CPB In principle they will be in the Valencia region until Monday morning depending on how the situation develops over the next few days "The emergency services here are overwhelmed both those on the ground and those coming from outside," said Olivas with the knowledge that "there are people who have lost everything" they decided not to stop the work on their first night we are not going to stop to sleep unless we are totally exhausted; seeing this scene we feel obliged to give 200 per cent of ourselves," he commented the contingent has taken with them two heavy rural pump type vehicles but also some of most advanced technological means available to the CPBfor the search and rescue of victims which can be key to finding both injured and deceased people one with a thermal camera that can help locate people by measuring their temperature and two others that are smaller but very useful to take them into a building and see what state they are in or if there is anyone there," said Olivas two pick-up vehicles and a high-flow pump (4,800 litres per minute) will also be added which will make it easer to work in flooded garages Specialised listening equipment used to search for people in collapsed structures has also been brought in "It is the very latest technology and can detect very low frequency sounds," he said the firefighter was pleased that the CPB had not skimped when it came to making its most advanced resources available to help in Valencia but without this equipment it would be impossible to work at the rate we are doing," he said Jair Pereira and Juan Antonio Blanco have travelled from Málaga to Valencia They are not the only ones who volunteered A total of 38 personnel expressed their intention to join the contingent to alleviate as far as possible the disaster caused by the 'Dana' storm They are a sign of the solidarity of the brigade which always comes to the fore in the worst disasters Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados is suffering from a poor economy and high unemployment a cafe is still open on the ground floor of an abandoned municipal building in Alfafar's Orba neighborhood A pair of Spanish architects hopes to revitalize the high-density housing in this working-class area This is the latest story from the NPR Cities Project In an abandoned building near Spain's Mediterranean coast Chord progressions echo through empty halls It's an impromptu music lesson, offered among unemployed neighbors in Alfafar The town was built in the 1960s for timber factory workers identical two- and three-bedroom apartments in huge blocks — some 7,000 housing units in total But the local timber industry has since collapsed More than 40 percent of local residents are now unemployed Apartments that sold for $150,000 decades ago are going for 20,000 now That guitar lesson is just one way residents are using their free time and empty space creatively It's here that two young Spanish architects saw potential The Improvistos architects' plans involve revamping the apartments María García Mendez and Gonzalo Navarrete drafted a plan to re-design a high-density area of Alfafar using the principle of co-housing — in which residents trade and share space and resources "It's like up-cycling the neighborhood — connecting existing resources to make them work," García explains all these empty spaces that are without use all these natural resources that are not being taken care of — making a project for all these things." Through their architecture startup Improvistos, García and Navarrete submitted their Orba design to U.N. Habitat, a United Nations agency holding a competition for urban mass housing The architects, both in their 20s, were relatively unknown, working in a Spanish region — Valencia — that's famous for soaring space-age designs of museums and other public infrastructure — which have bankrupted the local government Valencia's native son is Santiago Calatrava the famous Spanish architect who's now working on the new ground zero transit station in New York In contrast to Calatrava's work, the Improvistos architects sketched out a humble plan to revamp some 7,000 nearly identical apartments to adapt the current structures to residents' changing spatial needs Neighbors can trade rooms and share kitchens Architects María García Mendez and Gonzalo Navarrete sketch out plans to revitalize high-density urban housing in Alfafar "We're trying to redefine the limit between public and private," Navarrete says "So the way you walk on your street and where your house and your private space finishes or starts." "A thing as simple as creating a new door — having a room with two doors — can give enormous flexibility," García chimes in "So that this same room can be used by one or another Their plan also has a time bank element you have an 80-year-old person who needs some help once or twice a week [living alongside] a family with three children that doesn't get enough income," García explains "So maybe [someone from] the low-income family can help the elderly person once a week It's like an exchange system — so every house can gain or give out some space The Improvisto architects in Alfafar plan to sit down with residents and sketch out how their buildings can adapt to different families' needs García and Navarrete came up with the idea on a study trip to rural India — watching how a poor family would enlarge their thatched hut for new children and share cooking areas with neighbors The architects think that system can work in the West as well One place it's already working is on England's southwest coast, amid picturesque rolling fields. A decade ago, Jane Stott helped create the Threshold Centre at Cole Street Farm a community that consists of a central 300-year-old farmhouse surrounded by small low buildings that house about 15 residents The goal here is quite different from in Spain: This isn't about revitalizing an existing neighborhood; it's about creating something new People have come to the Threshold Centre for a variety of reasons ranging from a desire to live in an environmentally sustainable way to the meditative aspects of living with others There are some echoes of life on a commune at the Threshold Centre where there's an optional group meditation each morning and the residents raise chickens About 15 people live at the Threshold Centre at Cole Street Farm a shared living space in the Dorset countryside on England's southwest coast But everyone also has a day job: Among the residents are a nurse each co-housing community is different: Some are very religious; some are very environmentally friendly; some have lots of children; some have lots of seniors Stott says that when she founded the Threshold Centre 10 years ago she could count on one hand the number of British co-housing arrangements and residents in Alfafar have many questions residents of the Orba neighborhood discuss the plan Some ask how the value of a home would change with the addition or subtraction of a room But in general they say they're intrigued by the plan — and flattered that the two architects chose their neighborhood for it Most of Orba's residents have been living side by side for decades Take Nacho Campillo and Patricia "Patri" Sanchez They've lived in Orba for eight years and took over Sanchez's grandmother's apartment there when she died The flat hasn't been renovated since the 1960s But the young couple wants to stay in the neighborhood Sanchez spent her childhood there and loves it — but they need more space They have a small two-bedroom on the fourth floor with no elevator — and Sanchez is three months pregnant "Going up and down four flights of stairs is tiring now and I'm not sure I'll be physically able to do it when I'm nine months pregnant!" Sanchez exclaims "And what about the baby's stroller?" she says exchanging a look with her partner and laughing The couple may "borrow" a ground-floor bedroom from a neighbor for the last few months of Sanchez's pregnancy — or for stroller storage afterward The couple currently uses their second bedroom as a home office But the addition of a shared co-working hub in the apartment complex would free up space for the baby's nursery People in working-class Alfafar aren't used to getting attention from award-winning architects Mayor Juan Ramon Adsuara says he's surprised and bewildered by all the interest — but proud his town has been chosen by the architects and awarded the U.N It's a fusion of architecture and rehabilitation "Architecture is not just for big star projects like museums The mayor says the town hall struggles to pay for basic services — let alone a progressive architecture revamp "I need to make payroll for municipal employees — the cleaning staff We need to think about what model we want for our town's future The Improvistos architects have no price tag for their design It's adaptable — based on what residents want They hope to begin workshops this spring to sketch that out The mayor is applying for funding from the European Union to help launch this project — and also add bike lanes throughout the city García and Navarrete are also thinking about launching a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign Residents have volunteered to even do some of the renovation work themselves they're determined to change this neighborhood for the better Become an NPR sponsor A flood of 20,000 applications for jobs at a new Ikea store in Spain crashed the company's Internet server the Swedish furniture giant said on Wednesday The company posted an online questionnaire on Monday for applicants to work at the store due to open early next year in Alfafar in the eastern region of Valencia where the unemployment rate is over 28 percent "We have received so many applications to work for us in Ikea Valencia Alfafar that our server has collapsed," the company said in a Facebook message "We have temporarily closed the process until we find a solution that enables the online form to function correctly," added a spokesman for Ikea in Spain "We have received a total of 20,000 applications in the two days that the form has been available," for a total of 400 jobs in the store He said that was four times more applications in the first two days than during any of Ikea's previous 15 store openings in Spain The largest ever number of applications to work at Ikea in Spain was 50,000 for its store that opened in the southern city of Jerez in 2009 -- but those applications were spread over a whole month Sanchez said the new branch would create 400 direct jobs in the store and 80 more indirect ones for workers such as security guards and cleaners and involved an investment of 80 million euros ($109 million) The online application page on Wednesday displayed an apologetic message promising to get in touch with all those who had tried to apply "We want to thank all of you for your interest in joining the team at Ikea Valencia Alfafar and apologize for the trouble caused." Five years of on-off recession sparked by the collapse of a building boom in 2008 have thrown millions of Spaniards out of work The national unemployment rate is currently close to 26 percent A man has resulted Wounded this Friday by a firearm In the Valencian town of Alfafar The victim is 46 years old and is of Chinese nationality the wounded has been transferred from the Alfafar Health Center To the La Fe hospital in Valencia in an ambulance Basic life support (SVB) as indicated by the Emergency Information and Coordination Center (CICU) The CICU has detailed that it has received the notice of this event about 14.30 The Judicial Police has taken charge of the investigation to clarify what happened The researchers They do not rule out any hypothesis As the newspaper has advanced The provincesthe wounded would have attended the locality outpatient after receiving “Two shots from behind” There he would have received a first medical assistance and then be referred to a hospital Source link