Weekender Alicante North Issue 109

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6 FRIDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2019 www.weekender.news Continued from page one “It’s not a nice place to be in. You feel embarrassed to take the kindness of these extremely kind and charitable people. The public out there are incredible. The kindness and generosity is overwhelming, helping us out.” Richard met a guy only once, who was on his holidays and going back to the UK last Sunday, who just handed over his key to his apartment and said ‘there you go use it for as long as you want. There is food in the fridge, even some booze, help yourself you and the dogs are welcome!’ “A roof over our heads as literally we have nothing. A little bit of money we had in the safe. We grabbed it along with our passports and the clothes on our back.” “I work from home, so the computers are the hub of my IT business. We lost all of our personnel belongings, wedding rings, documents, my wife’s car and my bike, which I use a lot as I’m a keen cyclist, it’s all gone!” Leaving their cats behind, Richard and Liesl had no choice when they were evacuated. The cats had run off to hide. Richard explained: “We had no time to search for them. Our own safety was paramount.” There is now a river running across where the couple’s house used to be! A Go-fund me page was set up at www.gofundme. com/f/getting-rich-andliesl-back-on-their-feet The couple are insured but have no idea how long it takes to get the claim processed and paid out here in Spain. The house was a 100-yearold Spanish farm house, constructed of stone walls, around 4ft wide, strong solid walls. This was not some flimsy shack or timber framed plot. According to the local eye witnesses, the river broke its bank. It’s a very deep river of over 20 metres. The retaining wall gave up and some 50 gallons of water per second spilled out. It ripped half of the neighbour’s house down and washed away the Cavenders house, and anything else that was left in its path. Seven dead and thousands displaced as ferocious flooding decimates Costa Blanca IT is the early hours of Friday the 13th, skies fill with intense blue white light and the monstrous black pendulous clouds break open to the intense crash of thunder. You would be forgiven for believing this is the opening scene of the latest John Carpenter blockbuster. Yet this was a horror scene in reality. One which has taken the ultimate price. As the WATCH24 Watch and clock repairs Total servicing, free estimates and home collection. Tel 602 457316 by Alex Trelinski storm was approaching, I, as many seasoned "Ex-pats", prepared myself, my family and my house, for the worst. But our fears became the reality for many of the Costa Blanca finest. The Murcian Government declared a red alert and closed schools across the entire area on Wednesday 11th September, and with very good cause as South Eastern Spain hosted the largest storm it has seen in nearly 150 years. Some areas recorded record levels of rainfall, torrential downpours, filling rivers to burst. The banks split open, as thousands were evacuated with only minutes to spare, before cars gardens and even houses were washed away to nothing. Thousands forced from their homes as 300,000 hectares of farm lands were decimated. The military were called into the Vega Baja area to evacuate and save people trapped inside their vehicles, businesses and homes. Over the course of the 24 hours of Friday 13th September, houses were literally washed from their foundations, thousands of cars floated along rivers of muddy water, flood waters trapped people on the top floor of houses with no electricity or communications, as the Government of Murcia saw its lands turned into a disaster zone. It was the 'most devastating storm since 1879, when flooding killed over 1,000 in Murcia and Orihuela,' Six lives have been claimed by the 'Gota Fria,' officially known as an 'upper-level isolated depression' or 'DANA.' On the AP7 motorway to Orihuela, cars lined the sides of the roads, on end, overturned, in something which would not be out of place in a warzone. Hundreds of vehicles, in a long line of destruction. The tunnel section of the AP7 motorway, passing through Pilar De La Horadada, filled with flood waters, to the point where little more than ducks may have passed through. And still now, as you read this, the water still has not dissipated. The Bull rings were filled with water to the brim, creating giant reservoirs of muddy waters. Tornadoes ravished lands and danced across the seas. One tornado pushing through the centre of Guadamar Del Segura, and even tore through a school, leaving destruction in its wake. Six people have lost their lives and to them we dedicate the clean-up and rebuilding of the Costa Blanca. To those six and their families, we will rebuild and make a stronger Costa Blanca. So far, the Costa Blanca has responded in great fashion. We have proven that together we stand. Having proudly contributed to many charity events over the last 5 years, I have seen many appeal efforts and I can tell you, in just five days, this has been monumental. Immediately, Big FM's general Manager, Richard Sparks, began an appeal across both Radio Stations, Big FM and Big Radio Spain, asking people to bring donations to one of the drop off points, in association with Rojales Town Hall and the Social Services. Within 12 hours of the appeal, five truck loads had been filled and delivered to the people who most desperately needed it. 1,500 Euros in cash had been donated, along with masses of clothes, food, blankets, toiletries and necessary tools, to begin the cleanup. But that was only the beginning. This flow of help has only continued and will continue, through the generosity, human nature and community spirit, as more help continues to be brought every day. The Emerald Isle, Urbanización La Florida, Dehesa de Campoamor, <strong>Alicante</strong>, held a charity day on Tuesday 17th September and raised 3,700 Euros, with Help from Home Playa Flamenca. On Sunday 22nd, Villamartin Plaza will hold a massive charity day, with Help Vega Baja, with some huge acts, including Abba Elite, The New Jersey Boys Costa Blanca, and much, much more. So far, on the Villamartin GoFundMe page, for the relief fund, they have already raised nearly 5,000 Euros. On September 23rd, there will be an event at Flannigans, Entre Naranjos, 12pm until 6pm, including Al Joel, David John Williams, Jady Jazz and Shannon Campbell. Also 30th September, at La Union, La Marquesa, 12pm until 6pm, an event including Andy Jones, Jo Jo, Graeme Alexander as Bowie, Debbie H and Dean Alexander. The struggle is real, but together the Costa Blanca is proving its metal. United we stand, together we will achieve.
Facebook: @The<strong>Weekender</strong>Spain Wee bit of trouble for dog owners by Simon Russell VALENCIA City Council is cracking down on dog owners who do not clean up properly after their pets, something still seen as a problem in the Community’s capital, Spain’s third largest city. There are 90,000 registered pooches in the city and the actual number is probably far higher than that, with their mess being one of the main cause of complaints from both residents and tourists when asked about the appearance of the city. The new campaign will reinforce the fines for not cleaning up faeces but also remind pet owners that they need to carry a bottle to wash away urine. The acidic quality of this ruins street furniture such as wooden benches and stains walls, including some of Valencia’s main historical attractions. People are also supposed to use a water and detergent mix to properly clean up faeces, with the residue still attracting insects and smells in the warm weather. FRIDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2019 7 Baby eagles flying high IN a presentation at Pego’s Casa de la Cultura earlier this week, delegates from the Ministry of Agriculture gave an update on the introduction of four ospreys in the Pego-Oliva marshlands. The birds, one pair born in Cadiz and the other in the Balearic Islands, were by Simon Russell placed in special cages at the start of the summer. As they have matured they have gradually given more freedom amid careful monitoring. They are now all fully fledged and have flown as far as Morocco and the south of France before returning to their nesting grounds in this part of the world. The creatures will migrate for the winter and experts will continue to track the birds. Ospreys have not been seen in this area since the last nesting pair was spotted in the 1970s. Buying Selling Building For 20 Years Tel: +34 965 74 49 18 www.villasbuigues.com Carrer de les Tosqueres, 9, 03724, Moraira
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Weekender Alicante North Issue 109

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