A year after the flood disaster in Valencia, small businesses are struggling

- After the floods in Valencia, a social and economic divide is growing.
- Many companies are moving to industrial areas, small entrepreneurs are having a hard time.
- In Paiporta, the municipality hardest hit, many businesses are still closed.
A year after the floods in the Valencia region, which killed 229 people, the streets are in good condition. Unemployment has returned to its previous level, and 90% of all businesses are back up and running. But if you look a little further behind the scenes of reopened businesses, you'll see that the floods have created a divide, both within society and between businesses.
fd.nl

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