Valencia witnessed a huge wave of solidarity on Friday, as nearly 10,000 volunteers arrived at the City of Arts and Sciences to assist in flood recovery efforts after the deadly DANA storm. However, the Generalitat Valenciana was soon overwhelmed by the unexpected turnout. This prompted regional President Carlos Mazón to request that citizens refrain from visiting the site due to capacity issues and logistical challenges.
Originally intended to accommodate 2,500 people, the venue was quickly overcrowded, exposing cracks in the Generalitat’s ability to manage such a large volunteer response.
Frustration as communication fails
Despite the calls for help, many volunteers experienced delays, miscommunication, and frustration. Crowds gathered at the City of Arts and Sciences, where the Generalitat had set up a temporary coordination platform, only to find the process disorganised. Volunteers loaded onto buses found themselves redirected multiple times.
One volunteer shared on WhatsApp, “We’ve been circling since 8.15 am. We arrived in Torrent, now they’ve sent us to Aldaia, and we’re stuck in traffic. It’s probably faster to go on your own.” In Requena, some groups arrived to find no tasks assigned, leaving many idle and frustrated.
Volunteer deployment to shopping centre raises eyebrows
The Generalitat also faced criticism for dispatching volunteers to clean Bonaire shopping centre, owned by multinational Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, instead of focusing on residential areas hardest hit by floods. Susana Camarero, Vice President of the Generalitat, tried to bring order to the crowded coordination area. She clarified that Bonaire was intended as a staging point for volunteers to be sent to affected towns. Furthermore, she reassured reporters that volunteers would be deployed to Aldaia, Torrent, Alaquàs, and other areas in need of immediate help.
Call for staggered volunteer arrivals
Moving forward, the Generalitat has urged volunteers to space out their arrival over the next few days to prevent congestion and allow better allocation of resources.
Also read: Sanchez pledges historic military deployment to support flood-hit Valencia