Tens of Thousands Demand Accountability on Valencia Flood Anniversary

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Valencia, Spain, on October 28, 2023, to commemorate the first anniversary of devastating floods that claimed the lives of 229 individuals. Demonstrators expressed outrage over the perceived mishandling of the disaster response by regional leader Carlos Mazon, calling for his resignation. The event highlighted ongoing frustration within the community as many carried photographs of the victims and placards demanding accountability.

Participants in the protest voiced their anger, particularly regarding the delayed communication during the crisis. “Why weren’t people evacuated? It’s incomprehensible,” said Rosa Cerros, a 42-year-old government employee attending the march with her family. Critics have pointed out that Mazon’s administration did not send out emergency text alerts until after flooding had already begun on October 29, 2024. This delay came more than 12 hours after the national weather agency had issued its highest alert level for torrential rains.

Residents reported that by the time they received alerts, muddy waters had already engulfed their vehicles and homes. The floods affected 78 municipalities in the region, primarily in the southern outskirts of Valencia, leading to one of the deadliest natural disasters in Europe in decades. Notably, the body of one victim was discovered just days ago, underscoring the ongoing tragedy associated with the event.

Mazon has faced significant backlash for his actions on the day of the floods. While the disaster unfolded, he was photographed attending a lengthy lunch with a journalist and promoting sustainable tourism. “Mazon wasn’t where he should have been that day; he wasn’t up to the task,” said Gonzalo Bosch, a 38-year-old accountant from Paiporta, one of the hardest-hit areas.

According to the central government’s office in Valencia, over 50,000 people participated in the protest, although the organizing groups did not provide their own estimates. As the march progressed through the streets of Spain’s third-largest city, demonstrators called for Mazon’s resignation and even suggested imprisonment for him and others responsible for the disaster response.

Under Spain’s decentralized governance system, disaster management falls primarily to regional administrations. Mazon, a member of the conservative Popular Party (PP), has defended his administration by arguing that they lacked sufficient information to issue timely warnings. A recent poll in El País newspaper indicated that 71 percent of Valencia residents believe Mazon should resign.

Among those who lost loved ones in the floods, many voiced their concerns about the government’s failure to protect vulnerable populations. Rosa Alvarez, who leads an association for flood victims, attributed her 80-year-old father’s death to the inaction of officials. She stated that he was already drowning by the time the mobile phone alert was issued, as floodwaters demolished the walls of his home in Catarroja. “Every minute counted that day. When the alarm sounded, people had already drowned or were in real danger,” the 51-year-old social worker explained. “All those deaths were completely preventable.”

In the months since the floods, campaigners have regularly staged demonstrations, often coinciding with the monthly anniversaries of the disaster. Despite Mazon’s unpopularity, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the national leader of the PP, continues to support him. According to Anton Losada, a politics professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Feijóo is in a difficult position. “He has no other choice,” Losada commented, adding that Mazon’s resignation could lead to early elections in Valencia, potentially detrimental to both the party and Feijóo’s leadership.

As Valencia seeks to recover, many are hopeful that a successful reconstruction effort will help rehabilitate the party’s standing in the region.