Spanish Prime Minister Deploys 10,000 Personnel to Flood-Stricken Valencia

The Spanish prime minister has directed an additional 5,000 military personnel and 5,000 police officers and civil guards to the Valencia region. This deployment occurs amidst public criticism of local authorities regarding their handling of the severe flooding. Pedro Sánchez stated that 211 fatalities have been confirmed, and the death count is anticipated to increase. Torrential rainfall, which commenced on Monday, resulted in floods that demolished bridges and submerged towns in mud. This isolated communities, depriving them of access to water, food, and electricity. Sánchez characterized this deployment as Spain’s most extensive during peacetime, undertaken in response to one of Europe’s most severe floods of the current century. The prime minister indicated his awareness that “the response that is being given is not enough” and recognized “severe problems and shortages.” He noted that there are still “desperate people searching for their relatives. People who cannot access their homes. Homes destroyed and buried by mud. I know we have to do better.” Weather advisories persist for north-eastern and southern Spain until Sunday, with an additional warning issued for the Balearic Islands for Saturday. Approximately 1,700 soldiers are already engaged in search and rescue efforts within the Valencia region, though prospects of locating additional survivors are diminishing. A significant aspect of the current operations involves extracting water from subterranean tunnels and parking facilities, where concerns exist that individuals may have become trapped by the rapidly rising water. Paco Polit, a Valencia-based journalist, informed the BBC that the newly deployed troops would supply essential heavy machinery, bulldozers, and trucks, thereby enhancing the pace and coordination of rescue operations. Sánchez mentioned that certain areas are still “suffering from lack of basic resources.” He pledged that teams would labor relentlessly until assistance reaches all affected individuals and daily life is restored to normalcy, also appealing for national unity. Authorities have reinstated electricity to over 90% of residences and re-established nearly half of the disrupted telephone lines, he further noted. The government also approved 100 temporary civil servants to assist in the distribution of financial assistance. Carlos Mazon, the president of the Valencian government, reported that all municipal centers in the region are operating with basic food supplies, health centers, and medical facilities. He extended “heartfelt thanks” to volunteers but also stated that looting was exacerbating insecurity in the area. He declared, “I hope those who are guilty will be brought to justice. Nobody can use a catastrophe to steal or profit, nobody.” Local officials are encountering criticism regarding the swiftness of their response and the absence of prior warnings before the flooding. Amparo Andres, who has operated her shop in Valencia for four decades, informed the BBC that the water inside her establishment reached her neck at one point, leading her to believe she would perish. She stated, “At least I’m alive, but I’ve lost everything. My business, my home. And the government isn’t doing anything. Only the young people around are helping us.” The civil protection agency, under the regional government’s oversight, disseminated an emergency alert to mobile phones of individuals within and near Valencia city after 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Tuesday. By this time, floodwaters were rapidly ascending in numerous locations, and in some instances, had already caused significant destruction. Juan González, a resident of Aldaia, indicated that the locality was susceptible to flash flooding. He remarked, “It’s outrageous that our local government didn’t do anything about it, knowing that this was coming.” Residents in the severely affected town of Paiporta, where over 60 fatalities have been reported to date, have voiced their dissatisfaction with the slow pace of aid delivery. Amparo Esteve, uncertain about the safety of returning home, told the BBC: “No-one is helping us. I’ve never been in a war, but this is what it seems like.” The federal government in Madrid is also encountering criticism for its delayed mobilization of the army and for rejecting an offer from the French government to dispatch 200 firefighters to assist with search and rescue operations. Sánchez has pledged to undertake all necessary measures to aid those impacted by the catastrophe. Volunteer clean-up initiatives in Valencia, predominantly coordinated by young individuals via social media, witnessed thousands of people forming columns and proceeding to the areas most severely impacted by the flooding. Organizers at the city’s Ciutat de les Arts museum reported that a minimum of 15,000 volunteers arrived on Saturday morning alone to participate in recovery efforts at that location. Pedro Francisco, 16, eager to assist, informed the BBC that he had been queuing with his parents for four hours. He stated, “We have to do whatever we can. It’s just terrible to see what has happened.” Oscar Martinez, along with his wife and son, was also in the queue. He expressed, “I feel anger. This was an avoidable tragedy. All the regional government needed to do was to give us the flood warnings in advance.” On Friday, local authorities announced that traffic would be restricted in the Valencia metropolitan area from 00:00 local time on Saturday until 23:59 on Sunday. Martínez Mus, the local head of infrastructure, explained that this measure was implemented to ensure unimpeded road access for emergency services and to secure the provision of water, energy, communications, and food distribution. Addressing looting, Sánchez declared his intention to double the presence of civil guard and national police on the streets, following the arrest of over 80 individuals. Regions throughout the south, including Huelva and Cartaya, have also experienced heavy rainfall, and hundreds of families in Jerez city required evacuation from their residences. A contributing factor to the flood’s severity is the insufficient rainfall during the preceding year, which rendered the soil in many eastern and southern areas incapable of effectively absorbing rainwater. The Chiva region, adjacent to Valencia, received an amount of rainfall in a single eight-hour span on Tuesday equivalent to its typical annual total, as reported by the state meteorological agency Aemet. The escalating global temperature is also a probable factor in the floods’ intensity. A preliminary report from World Weather Attribution (WWA), an international scientific collective examining global warming’s influence on extreme weather, estimated that the rainfall was 12% more intense than it would have been under normal circumstances, and that the occurrence of such a weather event was twice as probable. Additional reporting by Christy Cooney and Bethany Bell. Contact can be made via the provided link. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.