Andalucía evacuation: 250 relocated village residents now fear for their homes
The people of Grazalema say that the flood in their village in Cadiz province has been worse than what was shown on TV
At least 250 residents of the Grazalema village in Cadiz province have been given shelter at the sports centre and day centre for the elderly in Ronda (Malaga) after being evacuated from their homes on Thursday evening. From the safety of their shelter, they now worry about the state of their homes.
Apart from the flooding, their main cause for concern are landslides and collapsing walls. One of the residents - Fernanda - says she woke up in the middle of the night from a loud noise, which made her think that a wall in her house had fallen. Her arms are aching from hours of bailing water out. In one of her four children's homes, water even began seeping up through the skirting boards.
What causes such noises is the accumulation of huge amounts of water under the village, which makes houses "shake" and water come out through electrical sockets. It feels like an earthquake. In addition, as Isabel explained, the rocks in the area are "made of limestone, like a piece of Gruyère cheese" that lets rainwater seep through.
Two other evacuees, Isabel and Raquel, have confirmed that what viewers see on TV falls short of what the reality they have lived is like. They and many of their neighbours had gone to seek safety in Ronda by Thursday, some with their pets, others accompanying neighours and comforting each other over a cup of coffee. Rosi, who was one of the last Grazalema residents to leave, was serving them and the troops of the state military emergency unit coffee.
By Friday morning, most of the flood victims had moved to more comfortable shelter in hotels or other types of accommodation, including the homes of Ronda residents. Mayor Mari Paz Fernández expressed the pride she takes in the empathy the people of Ronda have shown.
Solidarity alone, however, cannot provide enough reassurance to people who have worked hard their whole lives to build a home. Fernanda has put many people's thoughts into words: "The important thing is that we are all well and not the material things, but it is very hard because I work every day to be able to pay the mortgage."
Many of them arrived on Thursday in a rush, with only the clothes on their backs. Although they are used to the rain, they had spent a few sleepless nights, knowing that this time the storm "was going to be worse", as teacher María Jesús said. "There are people who have lost everything," she told SUR.
Despite the immeasurable hardships they are going to face when they eventually return home, the residents of Grazalema are trying to stay positive, thankful that they are safe. "It's the only thing we have left," said Rosi.
