Spain floods: A family’s profound sorrow after devastating deluge

On that particular day in Valencia, Victor Matías, like all parents, had promptly altered his plans, apprehensive of what might unfold. The rain continued its heavy descent, but by early evening, he had managed to depart work ahead of schedule, safely collect his sons from nursery, and was preparing their preferred meal – croquetas. These crispy, fried potato rolls, filled with cheese and ham, were intended as a special treat for Izan, aged 5, and Rubén, aged 3, while their mother, Marta, completed her late shift at the local supermarket. We have reconstructed the tragic sequence of subsequent events. Our understanding is derived from the accounts of neighbours and relatives we interviewed, alongside Victor’s own recollections and other direct testimonies provided to local media. The harrowing narrative of the Matías family has garnered considerable attention across Spain. Many have followed developments concerning “Los niños desaparecidos” – the missing children – as they have frequently been referred to. Yet, this family’s sorrow mirrors that of many others, as it represents a tragedy repeated throughout the Valencia region, which was severely impacted by flash flooding nearly two weeks prior, resulting in the deaths of at least 219 individuals. Over 90 people remain unaccounted for. Upon our arrival at the family residence, several days following the flood, it lay submerged in widespread devastation. The astonishing statistic – that a year’s worth of rainfall had been discharged upon certain areas of Valencia within mere hours – became readily comprehensible when observing the scene. Enormous metal containers, dislodged from their articulated lorries, lay at impossible angles amidst a chaotic mix of vehicles, crushed furnishings, and perilous mud. Among the few items still intact was the door to what had been the boys’ bedroom; the bright, white individual letters spelling their names stood out against a backdrop of brown. Navigating through this wreckage was Jonathan Perez, their next-door neighbour, who began recounting the terrifying series of occurrences. “It was madness” he stated. “I’ve never seen such force.” Jonathan elaborated on how the furious torrent had swept up trucks parked adjacent to the Matías family home, with one crashing through an exterior wall. He mentioned that Victor had recounted to him how he had grasped his sons in his arms as the water pulled them all outside. Then – despite his desperate attempts to hold onto them – they were gone. Victor was discovered approximately four hours later, more than 200m away. He had been clutching a tree. His mother – the boys’ grandmother – disclosed that Victor had been prepared to cast himself into the deluge and yield to his fate, but then paused. He told himself he could not leave his wife alone. For five-year-old Izan and Rubén, three, few locations felt more secure than their house and garden, which served as their playground. Their aunt, Barbara Sastre, informed us they were like little bugs – “bichetes” – an affectionate term used to describe their energetic movements, that is, when they weren’t engrossed in their cartoons. “They were such happy kids,” she told us. Izan and Rubén’s parents had acquired the property from a man named Francisco Javier Arona. Javi – as he is known – informed EFE, the Spanish news agency, that the dwelling had become “a paradise” for the Matías family. He stated that he himself had lovingly constructed the house in La Curra, a neighbourhood within Mas del Jutge, in a colonial style over a period of three years. Javi mentioned he had affixed decorative amphoras and delicate clay stars beneath a grand archway. Outside, the cul-de-sac experienced minimal traffic, allowing the boys to play freely with little apparent danger. The approaching storm on 29 October presented a significant hazard, prompting Victor to close his business early and collect his boys from the nursery to ensure their safety and dryness at home, as the rain intensified. The power of the downpour became immense, and soon the electricity supply was cut. The brothers’ grandmother, Antonia María Matías, a 72-year-old cancer patient, told ABC Sevilla that she had telephoned her son Victor at approximately 18:00 and heard the boys crying. The water level around them was continuously rising. Nevertheless, they were safe for the moment. While it served as their sanctuary, the family home was also situated next to a lorry park. Jonathan Perez, their next-door neighbour, explained to us the fatal role this played. He stated, “The father told us that there was a truck that hit the back of the house and the force of the water tore away everything.” He further explained, “Victor regained his footing and carried the boys in his arms. But then he realised he no longer had them. The water took everything in its path.” Barbara Sastre, the boys’ aunt, also informed us that at least one truck had ripped open the house in an impact that propelled the boys and their father towards the nearby ravine. The unnamed owner of the parking lot from which the trucks originated told one newspaper that they had not struck the family house. He maintained that the sheer force of the water caused the catastrophic damage. Jonathan, the neighbour, articulated the profound anger felt by millions of Spaniards. This anger was particularly directed at the fact that the official red alert, disseminated to mobile phones, arrived at 20:00 – considerably too late. “They were loving life and they hadn’t even started being people, they were three and five years old,” he said. “With better co-ordination, better management, and an earlier alarm – even half an hour earlier – those kids could have been saved and those parents would not be going through hell.” The entire community in La Curra, overwhelmed and devastated by the flood’s intensity, immediately commenced a search for the missing Izan and Rubén. This began once the water had receded sufficiently for residents to descend from trees, climb off their vehicles, and attempt to regain their bearings. They received assistance from police officers from nearby Alicante, including a friend of Victor’s, who promptly arrived and initiated a desperate search. But where to begin? Cars, bricks, and bed frames had been transported hundreds of metres from their original positions. A team of firefighters from Mallorca and subsequently Civil Protection volunteers from the island of Ibiza also arrived and meticulously searched the most inaccessible areas. Despite nearly two weeks of intensive daily searches, the brothers have not been located. In the hours preceding the disaster, Marta – the boys’ mother – had commenced her late shift at the shop, secure in the knowledge that their father would collect them from school and bring them home. In the early hours of the following morning, she was informed that her sons were gone. Relatives state they cannot articulate Marta’s current experience. The boys’ grandmother, Antonia María, said her son Victor’s life had been shattered – in her own words “turned to dust”. While recovering in hospital, Victor began sleeping with his sons’ blankets – salvaged from the remnants of their family home – placed on his face. This is the closest he can now feel to them.