SPAIN: Landslide in the Northwest & more – 14th Nov 2024

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 14th of November twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

To start things off, on Friday the 8th, new floods hit the Girona region in northeastern Catalunya, sweeping away around thirty cars in the coastal town of Cadaqués.

Videos from bystanders showed rivers of water rushing down streets, blocking the underpasses of bridges and major roads throughout the town. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

From Thursday to Friday, seventy-six millimeters of rainfall poured down in Cadaqués, with neighboring areas seeing over 100 millimeters. To give some perspective, the average in Spain is between 400 and 800 millimeters of rain per year. Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET, has reported a 70% above-average rainfall since October.

Keeping with floods, we’ve got some updates on the aftermath of recent floodings.

Carlos Mazón, the Regional President of Valencia, faces more criticism over his response to the floods that left over 214 dead as more details are revealed. After floods struck eastern Spain on the 29th of October, news outlet El Pais reported that Mazón arrived late at an emergency meeting because he was busy dining with a journalist.

Residents condemned delayed mobile alerts, issued hours after flood warnings, while Mazón defended his actions, shifting blame to agencies like AEMET. This response has fueled public frustration and damaged his credibility.

Also, on Saturday the 9th, thousands gathered in Valencia to honor victims and protest. Demonstrators clashed with police, criticizing slow aid mobilization and demanding accountability from political leaders.

Going back to rainfall, on Sunday, the 10th, a rain-blocked crucial highway caused a landslide between Asturias and León in the Northwest. The AP-66, a main route used by thousands each day, was closed around 10 am.

The collapse caused no casualties but trapped 145 cars, fourteen trucks, and two buses for over two hours. The Guardia Civil redirected traffic while emergency teams with drones and search dogs ensured no one was buried beneath the rubble.

Óscar Puente, the Transport Minister, labeled the incident grave, but praised emergency services for their efforts. Adverse weather may delay restoration efforts, with snow forecasted throughout the week.

Next, a recent study by Spain’s National Statistics Institute shows an aging population trend, revealing a 15% drop in children aged from zero to ten over the past decade.

The statistics are based on figures from twenty thirteen to twenty twenty-three, and show that the population aged over sixty-five grew by 17% to just over nine million, with those over eighty-five increasing by around 35%.

The country’s overall population reached a record forty-eight million on the 1st of October, twenty twenty-three, largely due to immigration, with over 134,000 newcomers in the third quarter alone.

Foreign nationals now make up nearly 19% of Spain’s population, with most recent immigrants from Colombia and Morocco. Population growth was more significant in the Valencian Community, Madrid, and Catalonia.

Related to housing all these people, student residence availability in Seville, in the south, has doubled from 3,000 to over 7,000 beds in the past four years.

Despite being pricier than shared apartments, many students value the amenities and community of student accommodation. Private university residences have an occupancy rate of around 86%, with Seville hosting thirty-five residences and seven colleges.

Spain’s younger population and higher education participation rates have increased after the pandemic, driving this expanding market, which is now attracting investors.

Over to Netflix now, where a heavy-hitting documentary entitled; It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football, was released on Wednesday the 6th. The documentary tells the story of players from Spain’s women’s national team as they recount the emotional and psychological scars from years of mistreatment under former leaders.

It explores how the twenty twenty-three World Cup’s kiss incident, when ex-Spanish football president Luis Rubiales forcibly kissed player Jenni Hermoso, became the tipping point for players already enduring a toxic culture in football.

The feature reveals systemic issues under managers Ignacio Quereda and Jorge Vilda, including controlling behavior, verbal abuse, and retaliation for complaints. Despite Rubiales’ resignation in twenty twenty-three, the documentary highlights the lasting impact on players, the divide within the team, and the personal toll on Hermoso and her teammates.

In literature, the Biblioteca Secreta series, launched in twenty seventeen by Barcelona's city council, is currently featuring three books that capture Barcelona’s rich countercultural history.

The Biblioteca Secreta, or secret library, is an initiative that aims to spread works by lesser-known Catalan authors and promote the region's vast culture. Together, these books preserve untold stories of Barcelona’s underground, highlighting figures who shaped the city’s cultural fabric outside the mainstream.

The current three are Pep Gómez's Diario del Marionetista, which chronicles the puppeteer’s final days performing in Sardinia, Italy, and Hem d’anar a l’Índia (records d’un viatge freak) by Joan Vinuesa Baliu, that recounts his nineteen seventy-seven–nineteen seventy-eight journey to India as far as we can tell these are not in English but the last one is available in English, Xavi Cot’s Cuc Sonat, which explores Spain’s early punk scene.

Shifting gears, Spain’s vibrant drinking culture revolves around social drinks throughout different stages of the day.

Spaniards often enjoy vermouth in the afternoon, wine with meals, and gin and tonics at night. Regional specialities, like sherry from southern Spain and cider from the Basque region, showcase the rich diversity of Spain’s traditional beverages.

When it comes to tapas it’s a whole different ball game. Marcona almonds, anchovies, and chorizo, accompany drinks, enhancing the communal aspect.

Meanwhile, traditions like the Catalonian porrón drinking vessel and the after-meal sobremesa, where Spaniards relax at the table after a meal, showcase Spain's unique approach to enjoying life with friends and family, one drink at a time. Responsibly, of course.

And more from the "Background information you may not know but should" file, Spain's twenty twenty-four celebrity scene is a mix of sports, film, and music stars etc. Tennis prodigy Carlos Alcaraz became a national hero after his second Wimbledon win over Novak Djokovic in July, while Formula 1’s Carlos Sainz thrilled fans with three Grand Prix victories.

In film, Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz gained global acclaim with roles in major projects, while pop icon Rosalía wrapped up a sold-out world tour in Barcelona this September. Twitch influencers Ibai Llanos and Cristinini also made waves, captivating millions with their esports commentary and content.

A couple of festivals to keep an eye out for. On Friday, the 29th of November, the San Andrés Festival happens in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands on the West coast of Africa.

In the town of Icod de los Vinos, in the North coast part of the island, locals slide down their streets on wooden boards in a thrilling display, accompanied by the aroma of freshly opened wines from the grape harvest.

Also on the North Coast, the town of Puerto de la Cruz will host Los Cacharros, where participants drag cans and metal items through the streets.

Other festivities include the Castañada chestnut festival, where island specialties are available, like chestnuts, sweet potatoes, and wreckfish.

Finally, the Almería International Film Festival, or FICAL, has become a premier cinematic event for anyone who loves film.

Known for its stunning natural landscapes, Almería has hosted iconic films like Lawrence of Arabia and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, as well as modern productions like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Launched in two thousand two as a short film festival, FICAL rebranded in twenty sixteen to attract global film industry attention, expanding its program to showcase feature films, documentaries, and more.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

Thanks for sticking around for this episode of the Rorshok Spain update! If you’ve got questions, thoughts, or just want to say hi, reach out at info@rorshok.com. Don’t forget to hit subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

¡Hasta la próxima!