Following the catastrophic flooding in the Valencian Community last week, people across Spain have rallied to support those worse affected. In Barcelona (which was also put on red alert on Monday due to the high risk of flooding) and Madrid, local councils, organisations and charities have set up collection points, with volunteers helping to manage the donations.
How are people in Madrid helping flood victims?
The capital has rallied to support those affected by the extreme flooding in the Valencian Community. On Friday, Madrid City Council set up several collection points to gather all kinds of donations. In total, the Council has made 44 municipal spaces available for people to donate non-perishable items, including canned goods, nappies, milk, water, baby formula, and specific products for lactose-intolerant or coeliac individuals, from 9am-9pm.
In addition to the 21 points spread across the city, the Palacio de Cibeles and the 22 district police stations of the Municipal Police are also accepting essential goods. Around 700 volunteers are responsible for receiving, sorting, and processing the donations at the central warehouse which has been set up in the Palacio de Cristal at Casa de Campo.
Below are the addresses for the collection points across the city, organised by district:
Arganzuela: 37 Calle Áncora; 2 Paseo de la Chopera (police station)
Barajas: 7 Calle Alhaurín; 16 Calle Trespaderne (police station)
Carabanchel: 39 Calle Treseta; 61 Avenida Carabanchel Alto (police station)
Centro: 13 Plaza de la Cebada; 2 Plaza Santa Maria Soledad Torres Acosta (police station): 16 Calle Montera (police station)
Chamartín: 128 Avenida Alfonso XIII with José María Soler; 4 Calle Comandante Azcarraga (police station)
Chamberí: 116 Calle Santa Engracia; 8 Calle Raimundo Fernández Villaverde (police station)
Ciudad Lineal: 9 Calle Peloponeso; Avenida Tres Rosas (no street number, next to the Ciudad Lineal market)
Fuencarral-El Pardo: 22 Calle Isla de Arosa; 7 Avenida Soto Palacios (police station)
Hortaleza: 8 Calle Tom´ås Redondo; 2 Calle Javier Del Quinto (police station)
Latina: SELUR (Urgent Cleaning Service) Office, Calle Ángel Sanz Briz; 50 Calle Rodrigo De Arana (police station)
Moncloa-Aravaca: 40 Carretera Húmera; 6 Avenida de Valladolid (police station)
Moratalaz: 7 Calle Arroyo Belincoso; 8 Calle Fuente Carrantona (police station)
Puente de Vallecas: 13 Calle Josefa Díaz; 7 Calle Puerto de Cardoso (police station)
Retiro: Palacio de Cibeles (entrance via 1 Calle Montalbán), 8 Calle Luis Peidro (on the corner of Calle Cerro Negro); 7, Calle Hoyuelo (police station)
Salamanca: 48 Calle Jorge Juan; 34 Calle Pedro Heredia (police station)
San Blas-Canillejas: 36 Calle Aquitania; 91 Calle Estocolmo (police station)
Tetuán: 4 Calle Francisco Balseiro; 68 Avenida de Asturias (police station)
Usera: 197 Calle Antonio López; 16 Calle Doctor Tolosa Latour (police station)
Vicálvaro: Calle Abad Juan Catalán (on the corner of Carretera de Vicálvaro a estación de O’Donnell); 138 Paseo Polideportivo (police station)
Villa de Vallecas: 7 Calle Manuel Vélez; 64 Calle Real de Arganda (police station)
Villaverde: 5 Calle Rocafort; 105 Carretera Carabanchel A Villaverde (police station)
How are people in Barcelona helping flood victims?
Despite heavy rain that caused travel disruptions on Monday, community spaces have been set up in Barcelona to collect hygiene products, food and cleaning supplies, which will be sent to the affected areas in the Valencian Community. The city’s 14 public libraries are requesting milk, tinned food and ready meals, children’s food, nappies and feminine hygiene products. They will be collecting these items until November 8 within each library’s regular opening hours.
Community, social and educational centres are asking for cleaning products, hygiene products, large brooms, dust pans with rubber edges, tools, FFP2 face masks, electrical extension cables, batteries and torches. They do not need clothes or blankets. These collection points are as follows:
Casal Jaume Compte (Sants)
Ateneo Popular Les Corts (Les Corts)
Ca la Panarra (Les Corts)
CP Tres Voltes Rebel (Nou Barris)
Espacio Basset (Hostafrancs)
Polideportivo Municipal de Valldaura (Nou Barris). Here, they are also requesting children’s food, hygiene products, nappies, socks and medicine. Currently, this space is operating as a collection point on November 4-5 only from 11am-1.30pm and from 5pm-9pm.
How can I donate online?
You can also make a financial donation via Bizum or send a bank transfer to different organisations:
Banc d’Aliments (Food Bank): Bank transfer to ES86 2100 2806 6402 0009 8998 or via Bizum using the number 38400 with the payment reference ‘donation’
Cáritas: Donations can be made by bank transfer to account number ES45 0049 1892 6421 1055 3738 (Santander) or ES54 0081 0216 7000 0218 7226 (Sabadell). You can also donate via Bizum using the number 00089, or by phone at 900 33 99 99.
Red Cross: Donations can be made by phone at 900 104 971 or via Bizum to the number 33512. Sending an SMS with the word 'AYUDA' to 38092 makes a donation of €6. Additionally, donations can also be made when checking out at Caprabo supermarkets.
- Solidaridad San Juan de Dios: Donations can be made online through their website, via bank transfer to ES46 0081 0640 6800 0275 7580, or through Bizum to 09401 with the payment reference DANA2024.
Extreme weather in Europe
The floods in Spain come just over a month after Storm Boris caused deadly floods in Central Europe. Due to climate change, Europe has experienced several extreme weather events this year, including wildfires and extreme heatwaves.
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