Así se inundó Valencia: crónica visual del mayor desastre natural de España
Disastrous Impact of DANA in the Valencian Community
Overview of the Disaster
- The violent DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos) caused severe destruction across the Valencian Community and Albacete, resulting in nearly a hundred confirmed deaths and many missing.
- Areas most affected include Requena, Utiel, Hoya de Buñol, Ribera Alta, and municipalities of l'Horta Sud near Valencia.
Timeline of Events
- The phenomenon began early with heavy rains that escalated by 1:00 p.m., leading to torrential downpours exceeding historical records.
- In Utiel, rainfall reached up to 278 liters per square meter; Requena recorded over 300 liters, surpassing the infamous "Tous swamp" flood of 1982.
Flooding Consequences
- Chiva experienced an unprecedented accumulation of 491 liters per square meter—almost double that in Utiel—marking one of the highest records in Valencian history.
- Satellite imagery showed rapid water flow towards coastal areas as reservoirs like Forata exceeded their capacity dramatically.
River Overflow and Urban Impact
- The overflow from rivers Turia and Júcar could not handle the deluge; urban areas faced significant flooding by nightfall.
- Major towns such as Alfafar, Sedaví, Aldaia, Alaquàs were severely impacted with cars swept away and infrastructure damaged.
Emergency Response
- Hundreds were trapped in locations like Bonaire shopping center; emergency services struggled to manage evacuations amid rising waters.