Spain Takes to Social Media in Search for Missing Flood Victims

AFP/APP

Valencia, Spain: After Spain’s worst floods in decades, Vanesa Molina, a marketing specialist, decided to help her compatriots in their search for missing loved ones.

Molina, 38, now runs the Instagram account “@dana.desaparecidos,” where people can share photos and information about their missing family members.

Spanish authorities estimate that dozens remain missing in the eastern Valencia region, with more than 200 fatalities confirmed. “The idea was to help as I could,” Molina explained, aiming to reach as many people as possible.

Families submit photos with descriptions of clothing, phone numbers, and vehicle registration plates, as many victims were trapped in cars when the floods surged on Tuesday.

One post read: “His name is Ramon Garcia Gisbert. He lives in Albal. His phone has been off since Tuesday. Please, share to help find him.”

Spain Flood Deaths Top 200

Rescuers raised the death toll in Spain’s worst floods in a generation to 205 on Friday, with hopes fading for finding the dozens still missing.

The floods, which began on Tuesday, have devastated eastern Valencia and are the deadliest in decades, tossing vehicles, collapsing bridges, and submerging towns.

Valencia’s emergency services confirmed 202 deaths in the region, while Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia reported three combined fatalities.

Rescuers, equipped with helicopters, drones, and sniffer dogs, continue to search debris and floodwaters for survivors. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska reported that the Civil Guard alone had rescued over 4,500 people by Friday afternoon.

Despite efforts, hopes of finding more survivors are dwindling. Authorities converted Valencia city’s courthouse into a morgue, where health workers transported bodies on stretchers covered in white sheets.

The government has dispatched 500 additional troops to support the 1,200 already assisting with search, rescue, and logistics, with another 500 to be sent on Saturday.