On October 29, 2025, the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia became the solemn epicenter of Spain’s collective grief and anger, as families, dignitaries, and citizens gathered to mark the first anniversary of the devastating floods that swept through eastern and southern Spain a year earlier. The disaster, which struck on the evening of October 29, 2024, claimed 237 lives—229 of them in the Valencia region alone—making it one of Europe’s deadliest natural catastrophes in recent memory, according to Reuters and the Associated Press.
The memorial ceremony, led by King Felipe VI and attended by Queen Letizia, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and other high-ranking officials, drew hundreds of relatives of the victims. Many wore black T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Their deaths were avoidable,” a pointed reminder of the anger simmering beneath the surface. The event was marked by a reading of each victim’s name, heartfelt speeches from relatives, and a minute of silence. For many, the wounds of the past year felt as raw as ever. “One year ago today our lives were changed forever, and we still feel the void inside us,” said Andrea Ferrari, one of the 800 family members who spoke at the ceremony, as reported by the Associated Press.
The disaster itself was triggered by a high-altitude isolated depression—known locally as a DANA—a destructive weather system that forms when cold and warm air collide, producing torrential rains. The resulting flash floods swept away bridges, cars, and entire homes, leaving a trail of destruction across Valencia and neighboring regions. In total, the floods destroyed thousands of homes, swept away 130,000 vehicles, and generated an estimated 800,000 tonnes of debris, as documented by The Local. Even a year later, Spanish authorities were still recovering victims from the mud, underscoring the sheer scale of the tragedy.
But the memorial was not just an occasion for mourning; it was also a flashpoint for public outrage. Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Mazón, found himself at the center of a storm of criticism over his administration’s handling of the emergency. Relatives of the victims greeted Mazón with jeers and insults, shouting “murderer,” “coward,” and “resign” as he arrived at the ceremony, according to The Local and Reuters. Some even called for his imprisonment, while others pleaded for respect and decorum.
The anger stems from what many see as a botched response by regional authorities. The administration’s alert system sent warnings to residents’ mobile phones only after floodwaters had already inundated homes and streets—more than 12 hours after the national weather agency had issued its highest alert for torrential rain. As the Associated Press noted, Mazón was having a long lunch with a journalist at the height of the crisis, missing an emergency meeting with officials. He has since defended his actions, insisting, “We did the best we could in unimaginable circumstances, but in many cases it wasn’t enough, and today we again have to acknowledge that.”
Despite ongoing protests—most recently, a demonstration of over 50,000 people in Valencia calling for his resignation—Mazón has clung to power. A court is now investigating his management of the crisis and his whereabouts during the disaster. The controversy has become a significant liability for his center-right Popular Party, as public trust in the regional government wanes.
King Felipe VI, for his part, struck a tone of unity and reflection. In a rare public intervention, he acknowledged the controversy without naming names, urging the nation to “continue analyzing the causes and circumstances of the tragedy” in order “to rigorously and calmly draw the necessary lessons to improve our ability to face other major catastrophes in the future, and avoid or minimize their worst consequences as much as possible.” The king also reassured families, saying, “The queen and I want you to know that we are now and always with you all.”
The ceremony was not only a Spanish affair. Morocco’s Ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, attended the funeral as a gesture of solidarity. She emphasized Morocco’s support for Spain’s rescue and reconstruction efforts from the earliest hours of the disaster and highlighted the contributions of the Moroccan community living in Spain, according to Morocco’s Press Agency (MAP).
The impact of the floods extended far beyond the immediate loss of life. Cleanup efforts, led initially by thousands of residents and volunteers, took weeks as communities grappled with layers of mud and debris. The Spanish government has since approved 5 billion euros in loan guarantees to help businesses and homes recover, in addition to more than 8 billion euros already spent on clearing devastated areas, as reported by Reuters. The town of Paiporta, at the heart of the flooding, declared three days of remembrance, and local businesses placed candles outside their doors in tribute to the deceased. “I think Paiporta will take many years to be like it was, in terms of streets and houses, and I don’t think the wound will ever fully heal,” Carmen Rausell, a local pharmacist, told AFP.
Silent, torch-lit marches snaked through affected suburbs like Benetusser on the night of the anniversary, while earlier in the day protesters covered a central Valencia square with foil blankets, each representing a victim. The grief was palpable, but so too was the demand for accountability and justice.
Experts and government officials have pointed to climate change as a key factor in the disaster. The DANA phenomenon, which typically follows hot summers, is believed by scientists to be occurring more frequently due to global warming. As the Associated Press and Reuters noted, the deadly floods are a stark warning of the dangers posed by increasingly extreme weather events across Europe.
As Spain continues to mourn and rebuild, the memory of October 29, 2024, remains a powerful reminder of both nature’s fury and the human cost of inadequate preparedness. For the families of the victims, the search for truth, justice, and healing is far from over.
