Valencia is the third most populated city in Spain. The metropolitan area of Valencia has suffered severe flooding after a cold spell on Tuesday 29 October. Some towns have been cut off for three days and emergency services are finding it very difficult to access some of the affected areas. The official figures speak of more than 200 deaths and at least 800 people missing. The worst affected towns are Paiporta, Catarroja and other nearby towns, all south of Valencia. More than 500,000 people live in the area. Many of them have no access to drinking water or electricity. Some families have lost their homes and all their possessions in a matter of hours.
Spanish society has thrown itself into action to help those affected. Shipments of water and dry food have been organised. Individuals and companies are donating clothes and other basic necessities. The textile giant Inditex has donated 4 million euros. The football club Real Madrid has donated 1 million euros and has organised a campaign with the Red Cross. These are just some of the examples of support and fundraising campaigns for the people affected.
How to send aid to Valencia
There are hundreds of campaigns organised to send aid to Valencia. If we want to make sure that our contribution reaches those who need it most, it is important to make sure that we are contributing to a legitimate campaign. Below are three Spanish solidarity organisations that have been running aid campaigns for many years and have the human and material resources to channel resources.
- Cáritas Española: the organisation has set up two account numbers to receive donations.
- Spanish Red Cross: more information is available on their website.
- Banco de Alimentos de Valencia: they are collaborating with those affected from the very first moment. A financial donation can be made using the information provided on their website.
We would like to talk about road regulations and traffic sanctions, but the situation in Valencia is dramatic. You can check the latest news here.