Citizen and institutional response to the DANA in Valencia: A qualitative study in the Parque Alcosa neighbourhood (Alfafar)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15257/ehquidad.2027.0012Keywords:
DANA, community resilience, social fabric, climate emergency, institutional weaknessAbstract
The October 2024 DANA in Valencia severely affected the Parque Alcosa neighbourhood (Alfafar), revealing both institutional weaknesses and the organisational capacity of the local community. The aim of this study is to analyse citizens' perceptions of the institutional and citizen response to the emergency, as well as its implications for community resilience. A qualitative methodology based on group interviews and documentary analysis was used, focusing on reconstructing lived experiences and shared perceptions. The results show a widespread perception of institutional inadequacy, marked by a lack of visible leadership, administrative disorganisation and the absence of clear protocols. In contrast, neighbourhood self-organisation, articulated around the Kolectivo, made it possible to respond immediately to basic needs, acting as a buffer against institutional inefficiency. The discussion links these findings to debates on structural inequality, social capital and climate justice, highlighting that community resilience does not arise spontaneously, but is based on previous organisational trajectories. It concludes that risk management in vulnerable contexts requires hybrid governance models that articulate community networks and public institutions, avoiding both their instrumentalisation and their abandonment.
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