HomeWorld'It was mania' - Irish in Spain affected by floods

‘It was mania’ – Irish in Spain affected by floods

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The Department of Foreign Affairs has said it is monitoring the situation in Spain and stands ready to provide consular assistance.

Many Irish citizens have found themselves caught up in the flooding and have shared their experiences with RTÉ News.

Dylan Gallagher and his fiancé were staying in Valencia city centre after flying into the city yesterday afternoon.

They were fortunate to be staying on the seventh floor of an apartment building and found themselves watching the streets flooding below them.

“I’d only received an emergency alarm yesterday at 8.30pm when it was too late to prepare,” said Dylan.

“It was too dangerous to go outside and to go to the shop.”

He said the area remains badly affected.

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“The roads all around us…they’re completely flooded, the main road to the airport is under water, it has cars abandoned everywhere on it. The railway, the underground train stations are completely flooded. This is just a stark reminder that climate change is real.”

Jessica Baker from Dublin lives further inland in a town in Malaga province, but the rains were equally heavy there.

“We are extremely lucky that our home is slightly elevated and we do have flood ditches around the house, so the water level didn’t affect our home,” she said, “but we won’t be going anywhere for a few days. We’re surrounded by mud, but we are dry in our house.”

She said unfortunately, a lot of the community has not been that lucky.

“A very good friend bought a property here last year. Her property is now completely destroyed. She was airlifted out of her home yesterday by helicopter.”

People carrying their on a muddy and damaged road after flash floods due to heavy rain in Utiel municipality of Valencia, Spain

Úna Harty from Limerick is living in Valencia city center.

She said supermarket shelves are almost bare.

“I think it was around lunchtime, or just before lunchtime, I think, that the news got out that you should not be drinking the water.

“Everybody rushed…I was in one of the supermarkets at lunchtime, and it was mania. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it so busy in all my life.

“And by the time I got to the water I think there was like only a few of those kind of small little kids bottles left, so I grabbed whatever I could and yeah hopefully that’ll do me next, the next couple of days.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs has said Irish citizens are advised to follow the advice of local authorities.

Any Irish citizens who require consular assistance are advised to contact the Irish Embassy in Madrid on +34 914364093.

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