The latest reports from the floods in Spain show the extent of the tragedy a little more every day. According to national and regional authorities as of Tuesday evening, 219 people have died and 89 others are missing, the vast majority in the Valencia region. Among them are two Chinese, two Romanians, an Ecuadorian and three British.
Faced with this crisis, the Spanish government unveiled on Tuesday an aid plan of 10.6 billion euros for the tens of thousands of affected residents and businesses.
Power under fire from critics
Faced with the scale of this natural disaster, the government will thus activate “direct aid for citizens and businesses affected, as we did during the pandemic, with the least possible paperwork and the greatest speed,” said declared Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. “What citizens want is to see their institutions not fighting among themselves, but working side by side,” he insisted, while the executive and the government of Valencia are the subject of strong critical for their management of the disaster.
Assuring that the government was on the side of those affected, Pedro Sánchez announced direct aid for 30,000 businesses and 65,000 self-employed workers. He also specified that the State would cover 100% of urgent expenses incurred by municipalities to help their citizens and clear the streets. The Prime Minister also specified that he had “formally requested” Brussels for help from the European Solidarity Fund.
“Climate change kills”
Pedro Sánchez also castigated the “irresponsible speeches” of climate skeptics, in view of the disaster which has affected the region. “Climate change kills,” he insisted.
According to the executive, electricity was restored on Tuesday to “98% of homes” and “68%” of damaged telephone lines were repaired. In addition, 40 kilometers of roads and 74 kilometers of railways were repaired. On the ground, the situation nevertheless remains very complicated, particularly in Paiporta, a town of 25,000 inhabitants in the suburbs of Valencia, considered to be the epicenter of the tragedy, with more than 70 victims. On Tuesday, drinking water returned but the streets were still clogged with vehicles.
Nearly 15,000 soldiers and police deployed
Authorities continue to inspect underground parking lots, many of which have been completely flooded. No victims were ultimately found in the Bonaire shopping center in Aldaia, which aroused many fears.
And in recent days, the personnel of the Military Emergency Unit, which intervenes in disasters, have installed numerous pumps to evacuate the water. In total, nearly 15,000 soldiers and police officers are deployed on the ground, according to the executive, which specifies that this number has doubled in three days. A deployment, however, still considered insufficient by part of the population.
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