Valencia Flooding: Family Describes Deluge as ‘Like a Tsunami’

A family’s half-term vacation at their Spanish villa commenced just as a storm started. The storm persisted, delivering over a year’s equivalent of rainfall in merely eight hours on Wednesday, which they described as “like a tsunami coming down a mountain” and inundating their residence. Diana Whitwell, a 60-year-old resident of Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, had collected her daughters and grandchildren from Valencia’s airport on Tuesday shortly before an electrical storm erupted, followed by rain that submerged their home. The flash floods impacting the south-east of the nation have resulted in the deaths of over 200 individuals. The Whitwell family is presently engaged in cleaning and attempting to dry their holiday residence. After witnessing the fatalities and destruction firsthand, Mrs. Whitwell stated: “Yes, we’re a bit stranded, but at least we are safe – and our family is together.” Spain’s civil protection agency, operating under the regional government’s oversight, disseminated an emergency alert to mobile phones of residents within and near the city of Valencia after 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Tuesday. By this point, floodwaters were rapidly ascending in numerous locations and, in certain instances, had already caused significant damage. The Whitwell family has possessed their villa, a detached Spanish hillside finca situated approximately 22km (14 miles) from Valencia, for 19 years. Mrs. Whitwell, employed as a healthcare assistant at Peterborough City Hospital, commented: “We’re used to storms – they usually last about 20 minutes.” However, on Tuesday evening, the rainfall followed a seven-hour electrical storm. “The grandchildren – aged between eight and 14 – were watching it from the window. They were mesmerised.” “And then the skies just opened.” “It went from nothing to rain like you’ve never seen before – like a tsunami down the mountain.” When the water level on the terrace increased, the family initially attempted to clear it by sweeping it down the incline, but subsequently, it began to enter rooms at the back of the property. “We tried to sweep it out, but it was no use,” she said. The children were placed on the top bunk of a bed when the electricity failed. Mrs. Whitwell recounted: “We had four grandkids in hysterics – they were terrified in the pitch black – we didn’t have candles to hand as we hadn’t anticipated anything like this.” “It was horrendous.” The family was without electricity, phone signal, and potable water. The family remained inside their home, where the water level exceeded their ankles. Mrs. Whitwell explained: “We couldn’t get out as many of the roads had collapsed.” On Thursday, they resolved to attempt reaching a store for supplies; although they succeeded in arriving, the shelves were nearly bare. “We managed to get three pizzas to have between the eight of us – there was no bread, water, milk – almost nothing.” “Then we got stuck for more than five hours on the motorway – and we were only two miles from home.” In an interview with the BBC on Friday, Mrs. Whitwell reported the presence of “intermittent electricity and some phone signal,” but noted that a substantial quantity of partially cooked food, including chicken, had to be discarded due to the prolonged power outage. “Luckily, my husband and I drove over so we had canned food and cereal for the kiddies – that’s what they’re surviving on just now.” On that particular morning, she recounted that she and her daughters traversed a collapsed road and descended the opposing mountain to obtain water from a spring. “We knew it was there, and of course it was overflowing – we brought back three big bottles of water – it was the only way to get water.” Their cherished Spanish residence continues to dry, yet the extent of the damage was confined, according to Mrs. Whitwell. “I’m a very positive person, and I try to make something good from anything negative.” She mentioned that if the wifi signal remained operational, they “might try a bit of karaoke tonight on the iPad.” “The really sad thing, though, is that the motorway is still not moving – hundreds of cars are stuck, and there are emergency services trying to get to Valencia. They just physically can’t get through because of landslides across the A3, which is the Valencia to Madrid road.” The family expressed hope that some roads would be accessible by Monday, when the children are scheduled to return for school, but the Whitwells intend to prolong their stay. For updates on Cambridgeshire news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.