This Thursday marks two years since the DANA of October 29, 2024, floods that left a toll of 233 deceased persons in the province of Valencia, two of whom are still missing, in addition to millions in material damages and an image of destruction that went around the world.
That black Tuesday was the third time in the last 50 years that Valencia registered accumulated rainfall exceeding 700 liters per square meter, specifically in the town of Turís, although the devastation was mainly caused by the overflowing of rivers and ravines, even in areas where it did not rain that day, but it did intensely upstream.
The violent surges of water and sediments swept away 129,000 vehicles, damaged 69,000 homes, rendered 10,000 elevators unusable, flooded garages, and covered all types of infrastructure with mud, leaving an open wound among thousands of affected people even today.
Acts of tribute and remembrance in different municipalities
While the first anniversary was marked by the State funeral held at the Museum of Sciences in València, on this second anniversary, the main associations of victims and those affected by the 2024 DANA have promoted several events to reclaim the memory of those who died and to thank the solidarity received during and after the tragedy.
The Valencian Government approved last year that every October 29 will be the “Day of remembrance for the victims of the DANA” and a day of mourning in the Valencian Community, where official flags will fly at half-mast outside public buildings as a sign of respect and condolence.
This Thursday, the associations, together with the Local Emergency and Reconstruction Committees, have organized several marches in memory of the victims, which will depart from Chiva, Cheste, Albal, and Benetússer.
A postponed tribute in Paiporta and new events in València and Alaquàs
The tribute event that the Associació de Víctimes de la Dana was going to hold in the afternoon next to the Poyo ravine, in Paiporta, described by the entity as the “ground zero of ground zero,” has been postponed to next Thursday, November 5, at 7:00 p.m. as a sign of respect for the official mourning decreed after the railway accident in Urda (Toledo).
For its part, the Association of Fatal Dana Victims will hold an anniversary event for the first time this Saturday morning at the Talía Theater in València, where it will present several awards, while the Association of Dana Victims and Affected also organized its first commemoration event last Sunday in Alaquàs.
Demonstration in València and demand for accountability
In addition, this Saturday at 6:00 p.m. there will be a demonstration in València organized by social groups together with the Dana associations, which since the tragedy have taken to the streets every month to demand accountability, first under the slogan “Mazón resignation” and, since the resignation of the former president of the Generalitat, with that of “Mazón to prison”.
