Extreme Sides Of Human Nature

Had I have been able to predict the catastrophic devastation that was to face the people in the Valencia Region just a few short days after publishing my last ramble, then, of course, that ramble would never have been written, let alone published. But of course, nobody could have predicted the tragedy that was about to unfold, considered to be the worst flood disaster in Europe in recent times, as far as the number of fatalities are concerned, and the worst floods in Spain for decades. The reality is that Spain, like so many other countries, does historically suffer with floods and wild-fires on an pretty regular annual basis, albeit with not the same devastating consequences as those that have just occurred. As you may have already anticipated, there are already questions being raised, even though the search for missing persons and a major clean-up and damage repair programme is still currently in progress, as to why this catastrophe happened, I think that if the Government authorities conclude their investigation and analysis with the words ‘Lessons Learned’, there could very well be a massive public revolt, for we all know, irrespective of the Country or the Issue, that these two words are used as a constant ‘Strap Line’ to try and get, Governments and Corporate Bodies off the hook for tragedies that occur, usually from corporate negligence, short-cuts, economic savings etc. etc. Of course, blame has already started to be attributed, rightly or wrongly, on the State Meteorology Agency (Aemet) and of course on the Local, Provincial, Regional and National Government’s for their failures in both responding quickly enough prior to, during, and after, this disaster.

We all know that the force of nature can be both harsh and cruel, irrespective of whether that be from Wind, Rain, Fire, Volcanic Eruptions or Earthquakes. I am not certain however as to how many people do realise that the actual rising frequency, and intensity, of all such ‘Natural’ events are as a direct consequence of ‘Climate Change’ which itself is due to ‘Global Warming’. But I am not going to jump on the bandwagon and beat the drum on that particular subject, you either know, or you don’t know 🤷‍♂️ You may believe that the Earth is warming up, or choose to disbelieve it 🤷‍♂️ I am certainly not going to get into an argument with anyone on their Freedom to voice their personal ‘Opinions’ on the matter, which at the moment we do currently still have, ‘Freedom Of Choice’ to aire one’s personal opinions that is, although you may want to utilise that right whilst you do still have it 🤔

Regular reader’s of my rambles will already know of course that, for very many year’s now, in my rambles, probably from the very first day I commenced writing them, the ‘Works of Fiction’ forecasts Agencies have often become a target of my frustration due to their consistent inaccurate weather forecasting abilities. But how spooky is this, in my last ramble, due to them forecasting two four day storms, that both failed to materialise, I compared them with the story of the little boy who cried Wolf too many times. Well a representative from the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), within the last couple of days, was answering questions about the Valencia Floods and of course was quick to point out that Aemet did issue a ‘Red flood warning’.

Now of course, he is right, people should respond to weather alerts, if they don’t, then further tragedies like the one in Valencia will continue to occur. But, on the other side of that same coin, many people, due to the habitual inaccurate weather forecasting, tend not to believe or rely on them, especially when they, the ‘Works of Fiction’, have falsely cried ‘Wolf’ on so many previous occasions 🤷‍♂️ So perhaps this is just one of those areas where lessons certainly have to learned, as undoubtedly, it is the constant inaccuracy of the weather agency which has to bear some culpability for the number of fatalities during this tragic and catastrophic event 🤔

Such catastrophes also bring out the ‘Extreme Sides Of Human Nature’ as whilst some, albeit thankfully only a small minority of individuals, opted to use this tragedy solely for their own personal gain, by looting retail premises, although not for food and water, which, under the circumstances would have been both understandable and acceptable, but no, they targeted other commercial type stores (Jewellery and Electronic Device stores amongst other’s). However, reflecting the much better side of human nature, hundreds, if not thousands, from nearby neighbourhoods, villages and towns that had been fortunate enough to have not suffered the same amount of devastation, went, many armed with brushes, mops, shovels, buckets etc. to help clean up properties of complete stranger’s, the victims of the flooded houses, business premises and their mud filled streets. Regions all over Spain, even those areas that themselves had suffered storm damage, but less destructive, got together and started raising money through emergency flood donation collections, realising that many had lost everything, clothes, furniture, domestic appliances so leaving them with only the clothes they stood up in. Many other’s donated water, clothing, blankets etc. which were then transported and delivered to local collection points in Vans and Lorrie’s up to the stricken areas, this public army had mobilised literally within hours of hearing of the scale of the devastation. It just proves that although the media is always full of doom and gloom, there are still more good people than bad in our world today 🙏

But amongst the obvious despair, occasionally the media would give a positive news update that a survivor had been discovered, however, such hope for many, in respect of those still missing, is now rapidly beginning to dwindle as each day passes.

Even as the clean-up and damage repair continues in Valencia, which will take days, weeks, months and, with some aspects of infrastructure, perhaps even year’s, the storm that brought this Region so much catastrophe has now moved further North along the Eastern Coastline, Mallorca suffered over the weekend but now it is the turn of the Catalonia Region (Tarragona, Barcelona) to face the floods.

I am sure that many of you who read my rambles will also have read for yourselves, or seen the images on the National and International TV News Channels, of the floods here in Valencia, so there is no need for me to show you any more images, you will have got the visual picture by now. My final comment on the matter, in this ramble at least, would be to say that whilst the Valencia Region has, so far, suffered the biggest catastrophe and loss of life as a consequence of ‘Storm Dana’, it was by no means the only area affected, there has also been major flooding with loss of houses, business, properties, land and essential infrastructure and services all over Spain, in the South of the Country, on both the Atlantic and Mediterranean Coastlines and in other inland Central Regions.

If you are reading this ramble, then you will have already surmised that Shazza and I are both okay, indeed very much more than okay compared to lots of other people, not just those elsewhere within only an hour’s drive, in our own Province of Malaga, but those in other areas throughout Spain, but thank you for those that did send messages through both of our individual Email accounts and our individual Social Media Channels, checking on our Welfare, it really was very much appreciated 🙏🙏 Yes, we were confined to barracks for four days, yes we experienced torrential rain and very strong winds, but thankfully, all of our local area’s flood defences held up, so we think ourselves very fortunate to have had a home, our own home, to be confined in, but to say anymore would sound like gloating, in the face of those who did not have their homes any longer, and many who still are suffering other major losses at this time.

So, in other news………………

Our Marina accommodated seven additional visiting vessels sheltering from ‘Storm Dana’, but their were two that really caught the eye due their size, one of them, a Trimaran, which looked more like some sort of very sophisticated Alien Spaceship, the other, a 70 foot long Sunreef Catamaran, very nice, very very nice 🤗 The other temporary visitors, in comparison, were just run of the mill 😂 And just for those those not in the know, a normal yacht (Sail or Motor) that has one hull is known as a ‘Mono Hull’, a yacht with two hulls, a ‘Catamaran’ and yes, you are already ahead of me here, a yacht with three hulls, a ‘Trimaran’, educational this ramble isn’t it 🤭

Finally, we have booked our return ferry tickets, to go back to the UK next year, for a period of 24 days, although Shazza and I are still discussing our itinerary, or more accurately, Shazza is telling me what we will be doing and I am nodding my head in agreement 😂 We will be doing a fair bit of travelling, up and down the country, so it is a good job we will be in our Spanish Registered car, and so will not have to pay the UK ‘by the mile’ car tax to get around all of our family visits 😲 Although, why they couldn’t all just live in one place I don’t know, it would have been much easier as we could have then just flown in and out over a long weekend 😂😂

Until the next ramble, stay safe…………..

Hasta Luego mi Amigos, La Vida Es Buena