A Cuban residing in Spain narrowly escaped the recent floods in Valencia, where the death toll has reached over 70. José Delgado shared on his Facebook page that early Tuesday morning, at 5:20 am, as his children were driving him from Valencia to Madrid to catch a flight back to Cuba, they encountered light rain that quickly escalated to a severe level.
"My children are still stranded at a gas station but are safe and sound, as access to Valencia is still restricted," José clarified from his hometown of Gibara.
Reflecting on past events, José recalled how decades ago the so-called DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels) caused severe flooding in Valencia, prompting the redirection of the Turia River, which runs through the city. However, these measures were not enough to prevent the current disaster.
"Valencia is the second city closest to my heart. I trust in God's mighty hand to lessen the damage because, as of now, more than 70 lives have been lost. I am grateful to everyone and to God that my family has been spared," he emphasized.
In the past few hours, at least 70 people have perished in Spain due to the intense DANA that primarily impacted the Valencian Community and Castilla-La Mancha, with flooding also reported in parts of Andalusia.
The situation remains dire, with dozens of people missing, especially in the provinces of Valencia, Letur, and Cuenca. Rescue operations continued throughout the night and into the morning, with emergency teams facing significant challenges due to numerous road collapses and telecommunications outages.
The aftermath of the natural disaster has left a trail of destruction: cars swept away by the torrents, bridges demolished, rescues conducted under extreme conditions, and property damage estimated in the millions of euros.
Several hundred individuals remain trapped on highways A-3 and A-5, with access to the affected areas being exceedingly difficult. Major roads in the province are closed, and many secondary routes are also blocked.
Social media has been flooded with images of people attempting to find refuge in elevated areas to escape the surging waters.