Dozens of animals dead and farmhouses buried by mud in Granada storms
Farmers and villagers describe the desperate struggle to save horses and dogs as floodwaters inundated the local valley in Storm Leonardo ·
If there is one phrase that is repeated by those affected by Storm Leonardo in Granada province, it is "at least we are alive".
However, the storms have caused the death of dozens of animals and in the village of Quéntar did their best to save as many as they could.
They managed to get many out, but others perished. Chickens, horses and dogs lost their lives in the floods and many are still there, in areas that are still inaccessible due to the large amount of mud.
"We went over the hills to get the animals that were in the farms. Fourteen hens drowned in one of them. We also went to get a mare, but the water was up to our knees and we couldn't get her out. We managed to save two horses, took them to a square and there they spent the night in the rain. That was all we could do," said Nono, a resident of Quéntar, on Sunday 8 February.
Other people have had serious problems feeding their animals: one resident's horses went a week without food, it was impossible to get to them, but at least they survived. "It's a catastrophe, whichever way you look at it," added Nono.
Many would like to go down to help remove belongings from the farmhouses, but for now they are not allowed to. "One couple has lost machinery worth 100,000 euros, another a collection of old motorbikes that will go downstream... the material losses are enormous," stressed another citizen.
Numerous farmhouses have been destroyed, buried under the mud. Their owners do not know what state they have been left in, as they cannot access them, but they can imagine. "More than 20 have been lost, in this area there were many weekend houses, small warehouses that functioned as second homes for families," another local resident said.
The village was without television service until Sunday but even now the signal keeps going. The main concern of those who live in the village is the difficulty in reaching Granada city because the main road is cut off. "It's terrible, these days as the cleaning machine passed by, it became impassable", said Daniel, another resident.
A shuttle bus has been in operation to take residents to Beas de Granada, where they can catch the regular bus to Granada city. It leaves from the Pilar Bus Station in Quéntar at 7.30am and 8.45am.
The return from Granada (Avenida Capitán Moreno) to Beas is at 3pm, with the shuttle picking up in Beas at 3.35pm and at 8.45pm, with the shuttle picking up in Beas at 9.20pm. The road between the two municipalities is open, but you have to drive "with extreme caution due to landslides and rain", according to the town hall.
