Four days after terrifying floods razed towns in eastern Spain, frustration at the state’s response is growing among some despairing residents.
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“They’ve abandoned us,” said Charo de la Rosa as she joined dozens of people queuing outside the only surviving pharmacy in Alfafar, a devastated suburb of Spain’s third city Valencia. “I know of dead and missing people … they are neighbours, people you love, you grew up with them … and their cruel death could have been avoided.”
The Chinese embassy in Spain confirmed on Saturday that two Chinese nationals were killed and another two were missing in the devastating flash floods that hit southern and eastern Spain last week, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent a message of condolences to Spanish King Felipe VI, saying he was “shocked” to learn about the extent of the damage caused by the floods, according to the Chinese foreign ministry website.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez vowed on Wednesday that his government would not “abandon” the victims as the enormity of the catastrophe became clear. At least 211 people have been killed and dozens are still missing, according to the latest toll.
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On Saturday Sanchez conceded the response has been insufficient and had to “improve” as he announced the deployment of 10,000 extra soldiers and police officers.