Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez unveiled a new aid package on Monday worth 3.8 billion euros ($4 billion) to help rebuild after catastrophic flooding devastated the province of Valencia nearly two weeks ago.
The storm system, which claimed at least 222 lives, destroyed infrastructure, homes, businesses, and even entire factories.
This new aid follows the 10.6 billion euros Sanchez pledged last week and includes 500 million euros specifically for cleanup efforts. Thousands of tons of mud and debris continue to clog sewage systems, presenting a growing health threat. "It is a colossal task," Sanchez said in a press conference, highlighting the enormity of the recovery effort.
The aid package also aims to support housing for those displaced, along with increased direct payments and loans for damaged homes, businesses, farms, and infrastructure. Despite mounting frustration, Sanchez refrained from criticizing the conservative Valencia government for its handling of the crisis.
On Saturday, around 130,000 protesters gathered in Valencia, demanding the resignation of the regional government for its slow response and failure to alert residents in time. Valencian President Carlos Mazon, while acknowledging mistakes, refused to step down.
Adding to the region’s challenges, Spain’s meteorological agency issued a new storm alert on Monday, warning of potential torrential rain from Tuesday, which could hinder recovery efforts further. Despite this, the high-speed train line from Valencia to Madrid, closed since the floods, is expected to reopen on Thursday.
Victims cry out loud
Amid the destruction, many residents, like Ana Piedra Carbonell from Algemesi, have salvaged personal mementos from the wreckage.
Carbonell rescued the only surviving family photo from her mother's house, which was swept away by the floods. The photo, though damaged, is a precious keepsake of her late father.
"I'll do anything to preserve it," Carbonell said, describing the importance of family photos. "Furniture can be replaced, but these memories are irreplaceable."
In response, the University of Valencia launched the "Save the Pictures" project to restore and protect damaged photographs, a vital part of the community’s heritage.
Marisa Vazquez de Agredos, head of the university’s heritage department, noted that the biggest challenge is the many photos that have become stuck together due to water damage.
The floods, triggered by torrential rain on Oct.29, not only claimed lives but destroyed countless irreplaceable family memories.
Some survivors, like Pilar Jimenez from Aldaia, brought entire family archives to be preserved, with one soldier even using a wheelbarrow to help transport Jimenez’s collection.
"My father loved photography, so I have many photos of myself as a child," Jimenez said. "It’s my whole life, and it’s important to save as much as we can."