After almost two weeks since the flooding in Valencia, Spain, more than 200 people have died and 78 are actively missing, forcing Spaniards to turn to humanitarian aid.
Parishes are sending volunteers to assist with the disaster.
“I am a mother of a family and I go with fear also because well, from the images that we are seeing it is going to be hard but we fully trust that the Lord is taking us there, we are born to serve and we have to bring a little hope and hands, hands because I think that is what is needed,” said Tebas, a volunteer.
“The truth is that I’m going with a lot of fear, I’m going alone, I’m leaving my family here, but I’m really looking forward to doing good,” said another volunteer, Saray.
Due to the critical situation, diseases have also emerged. These are spread by animal and human remains, stagnant water or residues found in the mud. For this reason, before leaving, the parish priest gave the group a blessing:
“This historic storm left in one day more than 200 litres per square meter in only a third of the province. This is a record figure in terms of intensity and extent.”
“We feel that we have to help as much as we can and above all, if we have to give hugs, we will give hugs, if we have to clean, we will clean, if we have to take out furniture, we will take out furniture and if we have to remove mud, we will remove mud—that is to say, we go to the service of what is needed and to bring hope,” Said Tebas.
A state of emergency has been declared in Valencia due to the enormous damage. The community does not know when they will be able to return to a normal way of life.