Valencia and Madrid, Spain – When flash floods swept through Valencia, priceless family mementoes were destroyed as waters engulfed Marilo Grandoli’s ground-floor flat.But, despite this, Grandoli feels fortunate.
“We lost things like the card which showed when my great grandfather opened his food shop in 1915, my school homework and family photographs,” she told Al Jazeera.
“These were precious to us. But there are other families who have lost relatives. They have lost far more.”
The 52-year-old journalist, who lives in Catarroja, one of the worst affected areas of Valencia where 28 people died, says she is still in shock, more than two weeks after the floods.
Now, fears are rising again across Spain as more rainstorms threaten to overflow rivers.
On Wednesday, Aemet, the state weather forecaster, issued red alerts for Malaga, where thousands have been evacuated, and Tarragona in Catalonia. An amber alert, the second highest level, was issued for Valencia.
On Thursday, though alerts were not issued for Malaga, heavy rain is expected in parts of the Valencia region. These do not include the areas worst affected by the floods on October 29.
A person holds a mobile phone showing an alert about traffic restrictions in 20 municipalities affected by the overflowing Poyo and Magro, in Quart de Poblet, Valencia, Spain [Eva Manez/Reuters]
Some Spaniards have covered their cars in plastic and tied them to lampposts in preparation.
“I don’t know what day of the week it is, …
