Valencia ignites the night at renowned Fallas festival, five months after devastating floods

Record ID: 1984570

  • Title: Valencia ignites the night at renowned Fallas festival, five months after devastating floods
  • Date: 20th March 2025
  • Summary: VALENCIA, SPAIN (MARCH 19, 2025) (REUTERS) FIREWORKS AND FLARES VARIOUS OF MAIN FALLA´S SCULPTURE BURNING FIREFIGHTER SPRAYING WATER NEAR BURNING SCULPTURE VARIOUS OF NINOT SCULPTURE DEPICTING VALENCIA´S REGIONAL LEADER CARLOS MAZON WITH A GLASS OF WINE AND AN ORANGE VEST READING IN VALENCIAN “CIVIL DEFENCELESSNESS” (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LAURA CARMONA, HAIRDRESSER, SAYING:
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Donald Trump Fallas festivity Musk Netanyahu Putin Valencia floods cold drop heavy rain war
  • Location: VALENCIA, SPAIN
  • City: VALENCIA, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe
  • Reuters ID: LVA001026320032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Five months after the devastating floods that claimed over 200 lives, Valencia celebrated the world-famous Fallas festival on Wednesday (March 19), with the traditional burning of sculptures.
    Hundreds of sculptures are scattered across the city, some poking fun of local and international politicians.
    This year, many residents were critical of Valencia's regional leader, Carlos Mazon, over his handling of the emergency.
    People at the festival said they had mixed feelings as what should be a joyous event was overshadowed by the aftermath of the floods. However, they said the burning of the sculptures could be seen as a symbol of renewal.
    Figures such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and U.S. President Donald Trump were also depicted as 'ninots,' the Valencian term for these elaborate dolls.
    To mark the end of the five-day-long festivity the sculptures were set alight amidst fireworks lighting the skies of Spain's seaside city.
    Made of materials like wood, plaster and paper-mache, months of painstaking work go into constructing the sculptures some reaching soaring heights only to be burned to the ground in an explosive finale.
    (Production: Oscar Corrons, Silvio Castellanos)
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