The memory of Spain’s most devastating floods in decades still haunts the residents of Valencia. On 29 October 2024, torrential rains triggered flash floods that swept through towns like Benetússer, claiming 237 lives across three regions.
Among the victims were Miguel García and his 24-year-old daughter, Sara, who drowned while trying to move their car from the garage of their flooded home. Their wife and mother, Toñi García, remembers that day vividly — a nightmare she has not woken from.
“The military scuba divers who found the bodies said they were holding each other,” Toñi recalls, tears streaming down her face. “They didn’t reach the garage door. It was so much water, so much mud. They knew they would die — that’s what hurts me the most.”
The disaster, known by meteorologists as the Dana, brought record rainfall to eastern Spain, submerging homes, destroying infrastructure, and displacing thousands. The Valencia region bore the brunt, but nearby Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia also recorded fatalities.
A year later, the city is preparing for a solemn state memorial at Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences complex. King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez are expected to attend, alongside hundreds of survivors and families of the victims.
Even for those who escaped physical harm, emotional scars remain. Jennifer Arango Bonilla, who lives in Benetússer, recalls watching the floodwaters rise from her first-floor apartment with her family. Though they were safe, her nine-year-old son Emmanuel continues to suffer from trauma.
“Whenever it rains, he’s terrified,” Jennifer says softly. “He thinks it’s going to happen again. Before, he was cheerful and playful — now he’s quiet, withdrawn. The fear doesn’t go away.”
Local authorities say efforts to rebuild the region and improve flood prevention systems are ongoing. However, environmental experts warn that extreme weather events like the Dana are becoming more frequent due to climate change, calling for better preparedness and investment in infrastructure.
For many in Valencia, this anniversary is not only about mourning but also about reflection and resilience. Streets have been rebuilt, damaged homes restored, and communities have come together to support one another.
Still, for families like Toñi’s, the loss is immeasurable. Standing before photos of her husband and daughter, she whispers, “They were my world. And that world disappeared in one night.”
As bells toll across the region on Wednesday, Valencia remembers — not just the lives lost, but the strength of those left behind to carry their memory forward.