Feature: Alfafar struggles to recover after deadly flood

VALENCIA, Spain, Nov. 2 (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.
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.
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. ■