Portal de Murcia

www.portaldemurcia.com

Murcia - SpanishMurcia - English
detail of Murcia

 

La Glorieta hosts the exhibition ´La riada de Santa Teresa de 1879: a tragedy in the Huerta de Murcia´ (14/10/2019)

The exhibition coincides with the 140th anniversary of the Santa Teresa flood (1879-2019), which hit the Guadalentn Valley and the entire Vega del Segura.

Every day, you can follow what happened from the night of October 15, 1879 until the end of that year, through the historic twitter Riadasantateresa1879 #riadadesantateresa

The mayor of Murcia, Jos Ballesta, together with the Councilor for Culture and Heritage Recovery, Jess Pacheco, presented today the exhibition 'The flood of Santa Teresa of 1879: a tragedy in the Huerta de Murcia', in the room of La Glorieta del Murcia City Hall.

The exhibition, which has been organized at the initiative of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Santa Mara de La Arrixaca de Murcia, will open this afternoon to all Murcia in a public event that will begin at 8:00 p.m.

The exhibition gathers old photographs, original press of the time, graphic reproduction, both of engravings and press.

Similarly, cartography is present through plans made on the occasion of the Riada.

Musical scores, prayers, objects from the Garden and literary quotes are some of the main elements to highlight.

Mayor Jos Ballesta said that “history is witness to the generosity without limits of Murcia who immediately turned to those affected.

Throughout the Huerta, operational centers were established to help those most in need in rural areas, the City of Murcia created special commissions for health, statistics and aid for the distribution of relief.

The presence of firefighters, the Civil Guard, river boatmen and hundreds of anonymous neighbors were essential to save lives and recover lost animals. ”

Relief boards and a permanent commission of Deputies and Senators of Madrid were also created.

The flood 'live', on Twitter

After several years of research in municipal archives and public and private institutions, documentary filmmakers Mara Lujn and Toms Garca show the work done on this sad historical event.

The institutions collaborating in the exhibition are the General Archive of the Region of Murcia, Municipal Archive of Murcia, Regional Library of Murcia, Board of Hacendados de Murcia, Museum of Fine Arts of Murcia and Real Casino de Murcia.

This exhibition is part of the events scheduled within the 52nd edition of the International Folklore Festival in the Mediterranean, which pays tribute to all Murcia who lost their lives and fought during the flood.

Every day, you can follow what happened during the night of October 15, 1879 until the end of that year through the historical twitter Riadasantateresa1879 with the pad #riadadesantateresa

The exhibition will remain in the Exhibition Hall of La Glorieta until January 20, 2020.

Information about the event

This year marks the one hundred and forty anniversary of the flood of Santa Teresa (1879 - 2019), historical event that devastated the Guadalentn Valley and the entire Vega del Segura.

The highest levels of flooding were recorded in Murcia and Orihuela.

Through the exhibition La riada de Santa Teresa of 1879: a tragedy in the Huerta de Murcia, we want to pay tribute to the inhabitants of the Segura Valley who fought and overcame the terrible catastrophe.

The episodes of this commemoration have been remembered again for the cold drop suffered by the Region of Murcia on September 12 and in the following days.

On October 15, 1879 the river overcame its river causing significant damage, both material and human.

It all started on October 14 at noon, the front of the flood reached the city of Lorca, flooding the neighborhood of San Cristbal, Santa Quiteria and the orchard of Sutullena in the early afternoon.

At nightfall, the flood made an appearance in the vicinity of the term of Murcia, the strong avalanche of water flooded the passage of the Carros and the Cota river, bursting quijeros of the Isla river in Sangonera la Seca.

The water came full blurring the towns of Era Alta, Aljucer, Nonduermas, Alcantarilla and Voz Negra.

The advance of the avenue continued on its way overflowing ditches, ruining mills, destroying quijeros and places to the city of Murcia.

Around two o'clock in the morning the water flooded the city, the serene warned loudly, the bells of the Cathedral rang and the conch of the huertanos did not stop ringing.

As a result of the catastrophic flood, the route from Murcia to Orihuela was completely impassable, the rail lines of Madrid and Andalusia intercepted.

People who were saved took refuge in the Episcopal Palace.

The orchard on one side and the other, seen from the tower of the Cathedral, was a sea, it could only be seen as water.

Thousands of tahullas full of fruits and vegetables became mud.

The city ran out of gas and coal supplies.

The importance of the event meant that on October 20, 1879, Alfonso XII arrived at the Alcantarilla station to visit the main affected points.

Isabel II, exiled in Paris, organized a raffle of artistic objects to help Murcia.

A great festival was prepared at the Hippodrome in Paris for the benefit of the victims, to this event they were called crews of cantaores, cantaores and bailaores, an orchard town was recreated in order to give the party greater brilliance.

The echoes of the catastrophe came to New York where music concerts were held in favor of Murcia.

One of the most important parts of that event is the documentary sources, driving axis of this exhibition.

The French Press Association published in support of the victims of the flood, the Paris-Murcie newspaper directed by Victor Hugo, with illustrations by Gustave Dor, where headlines and articles of intellectuals were collected.

Other publications that collect news and engravings of the event were Le Monde Illustr, L'Illustration, The Graphic, Murcia-Paris, The Globe, The Spanish and American Illustration, The Correspondence of Spain.

The newspapers published in Murcia made a wide display of information through El Diario de Murcia, El Liberal, El Noticiero and La Paz, announcing what happened to the international press.

The figures were devastating, the City of Murcia agreed to wear mourning for a year, suspending official events, carnival and floral games.

Slowly the Vega del Segura was returning to normal, despite having the land turned into sand, building homes, renewing illusions.

Source: Ayuntamiento de Murcia

Notice
UNE-EN ISO 9001:2000 - ER-0131/2006 Regin de Murcia
© 2024 Alamo Networks S.L. - C/Alamo 8, 30850 Totana (Murcia) Privacy policy - Legal notice - Cookies
This website uses cookies to facilitate and improve navigation. If you continue browsing, we consider that you accept its use. More information