On 29 October, the unthinkable happened to thousands of people in the province of Valencia – in a matter of minutes, they went from going about their daily lives to being submerged or swept away by floodwaters, with many losing everything they own. A massive area of both countryside and densely populated town centres, home to around 300,000 people, has been ravaged by the floods.
Almost two weeks after the disaster, with cleanup and recovery efforts still underway, we have to understand what the health ramifications will be for the people living in these areas, both to respond adequately now, and learn lessons for the future.
