Residents of Flooded Spanish Villages Win Prizes in Christmas Lottery

spain - Residents of the Spanish villages of Paiporta and Catarroja, heavily affected by October floods, win prizes in the Christmas lottery, bringing hope and relief to the communities.

Residents of Paiporta and Catarroja, two villages heavily impacted by the devastating floods that hit the Valencia region in late October, have been fortunate in the Spanish Christmas lottery. In Paiporta, where 45 people lost their lives, and in Catarroja, where 25 perished during the severe weather and resulting floods caused by the weather phenomenon Dana, the win comes as a gleam of hope after a harrowing year.

Catarroja secured a third prize while Paiporta landed a fourth-place win, bringing a sense of joy amidst the grief that has plagued the region. These villages, both situated in the Horta Sud area west of Valencia, were labeled as 'ground zero' following the tragedy due to the high number of casualties and the extensive damage and mudslides in the streets.

'We have suffered greatly,' emphasized Mayor Abalat on Spanish television. 'This provides hope, a breather, and perspective for the residents.' The winning number for the fourth prize, 77768, was part of 193 series issued by the Spanish lottery this year and was sold in various locations across Spain, including the lottery office on Jaime 1 street in Paiporta.

Albalat expressed her hopes that the influx of money from the lottery winnings can aid the village's recovery efforts. The lottery office in Paiporta, which was closed for an extended period due to the aftermath of the floods, reopened its doors along with other local businesses twenty days ago. Many people purchased tickets in the anticipation that luck would shine upon them.

The fourth prize was also awarded in other severely affected villages in Horta Sud, such as Alfafar, Riba-roja, Alfafar, and Sedaví. Loten with the number 77768 were also sold in Letur, Albacete, where five fatalities occurred.

In Catarroja, the third prize was won with the number 11840. The children of the San Idelfonso school in Madrid announced the winning number through songs during the drawing, revealing that the third prize amounts to 50,000 euros per 'decimo' or 5,000 euros per whole ticket.

The grand prize, 'El Gordo,' fell on the number 72480, awarding 4 million euros to the holders of a full ticket worth 200 euros and 400,000 euros to individuals with a 'decimo.' All tickets bearing this winning number were sold in Logroño.