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“There is not a single member of the Red Cross in the catastrophe” or “why haven't you seen the people of Valencia being hugged”. Messages like these have spread content claiming that the Red Cross is not helping the people of Valencia affected by the DANA (the Spanish acronym for high-altitude isolated depression, a weather phenomenon that recently caused serious flooding in Valencia and other eastern regions of Spain). It is accused of not having acted until days after the floods occurred, of not giving aid to local people and only giving it to migrants or diverting donations for Valencia to other emergencies such as Gaza.
The Red Cross has publications on the aid they have been deploying in Valencia since the floods occurred on 29 October
The content attacking the organisation on social media claims that they are not helping Valencians or that they did not go to Valencia until days after the floods occurred. However, if we look at the social networks of the Red Cross, we can see that there was a presence of workers and volunteers in these first days.
Like this thread shared by the Spanish Red Cross Twitter account (now X) on 29 October, with the first floods.
Or this one posted by the Red Cross of the Valencian Community’s account on aid in shelters on 30 October.
In addition, the organisation has published on its website a summary of the aid it deployed during the floods, indicating that in the province of Valencia alone, between October 30 and 31 (the first days after the floods), it deployed 49 teams, took in 584 people and provided meals to 6,260 people.
According to what the organisation declares to Maldita.es, in this first phase of the emergency, they are carrying out “cleaning and debris removal tasks, delivering basic necessities, transporting people with reduced mobility and belongings, delivering medicines to chronic patients, helping those involved, basic health care and psychosocial care.”
Red Cross warned of the storm and gave advice on how to protect oneself a day before flooding
Not only are there Red Cross publications of the actions from 29 and 30 October; they also published content on their networks warning of the danger of the DANA phenomenon in Valencia and eastern regions of Spain a day before they occurred.
And on the same day, October 29, at 9am.
Red Cross does not only serve migrants
Messages have also been spread claiming that “Cruz Roja España does not offer any basic care to those affected by the floods” and that it only takes money to “divide it among its directors and take care of illegal immigrants.” However, as it can be seen in their posts, the aid that this organisation is giving has also gone to “those affected by the floods” and not only to migrants.
With this same narrative, content has also been disseminated saying that only images of Red Cross volunteers and workers giving blankets and hugs to migrants during migration crises are seen, but that they are not seen doing the same with those affected by the floods. It is spread with messages such as “how many blankets have you seen around VLC” or “they have other priorities, but the piggy bank is passed on to you”.
But it is not true that these situations and embraces of Red Cross staff with the population affected by the floods do not exist, as can be seen in the organisation's photos on its Twitter account.
Red Cross explains that financial donations ‘is the most efficient resource’ and that it allows ‘activating local commerce’
In the contents that are being spread attacking and questioning the work of the Red Cross during the floods, some question the fact that they ask for financial help and do not allow the donation of physical goods with messages such as “Red Cross is like the junkie who asks you to eat at the supermarket door, but when you offer to buy him some food he tells you that you better give him the money”.
The Red Cross has explained through its social networks and its website that the key to the financial donation is “it's easy use to buy products available in the nearest market (helps the affected local trade), lower cost (reduces the cost of transport, storage, etc.) and reduced delivery times.”
The Red Cross is not the only organisation to have done so. The Valencian NGDO Coordinating Committee, of which the Red Cross is a member, has also issued a statement in which they clarify that financial donations “make it possible to respond to the needs of the moment (...) while avoiding the additional costs and logistical difficulties involved in managing the donation of goods”.
The Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) has also encouraged the prioritisation of direct financial donations to the Red Cross because ‘it is one of the most experienced and operational in this type of emergency.’
Red Cross: a target of disinformation during the floods
These messages are not the only disinformation spread about the Red Cross. Other hoaxes have been spread about the organisation, such as this one shared with a screenshot that says that the Red Cross has sent 53 tons of aid to Gaza as if it were now and paid for with aid for Valencia. But the screenshot of Red Cross aid to Gaza is from May 2024, not during the floods.
Another one has also been circulated claiming that the Red Cross has only sent 25 people to Valencia and that it has taken six days to act. But this is based on content that only refers to volunteers mobilized from Castilla y León and the organization claims to have mobilized 250 volunteers since the same day of the floods. Moreover, as we said, on their social networks it can be seen that the Red Cross has been active in the Valencian Community since 29 October.
Beware of supposed Red Cross volunteers asking for money for the floods: Sueca Town Council says it's a ‘scam’
“Warn people that there is a riffraff going house to house disguised as Red Cross workers asking for money for the floods”. Messages like this one have been circulated to warn of a possible scam in which people in red waistcoats supposedly impersonate volunteers or workers to ask for cash in the middle of the disaster generated by the floods.
The City Council of Sueca (Valencia) has identified cases and has published a warning on its Twitter profile (now X) in which it reminds that the Red Cross does not ask for cash donations. Other town councils have also alerted the population about this method of scamming.
The Red Cross has also warned on its social networks that the organisation does not ask for ‘cash’.
Emergency situations are a favourable situation for the appearance of hoaxes. Thus, at Maldita.es we continue to debunk hoaxes and disinformation related to the floods and various conspiracy theories since last Tuesday 29 October. It is essential: trust only official sources and, when in doubt, it is preferable not to share them. Here you can consult tools and sources for information on the DANA phenomenon that is sweeping across Spain.
