The work of the rescue services in the areas most affected by the DANA It is inexorably accompanied by an aggrandizement of the tragedy: There are already 158 dead that the strong storm has left in the Valencian Community, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia. The vast majority of them, 155, only in the province of Valencia.
Meanwhile, DANA continues to flood the Valencian Community, specifically Castellón. The province has been on red alert (extreme risk) due to heavy rainfall throughout the morning, and In towns like Tirig, more than 210 liters per square meter of water have accumulated. Late in the afternoon, the Emergency Coordination Center has lowered the level to orange in the northern interior and the entire coast.
So much so that the Generalitat Valenciana has sent a new Es-Alert notice to the population, through mobile phones, to ask them not to move and stay in their homes. Likewise, the Emergency Coordination Center has issued a special hydrological alert notice due to the increase in flows in rivers and ravines in Castellón.
Also In the southern regions of Tarragona the rain falls locally intensely and Civil Protection has asked to restrict mobility, especially in Montsià, Baix Ebre, Terra Alta and Ribera d’Ebre, where the degree of danger is the maximum.
The forecasts for the rescue of people, which was reactivated this Thursday, are not reassuring, since the Minister of Defense, Margaret Roblessays that “There are many” who remain missing. “We cannot specify the exact number,” he said in an interview on Telecinco.
The minister explained that situations such as the Valencian towns of Paiporta and Masanasa are now worrying, “where there may be people in garages and basements because they went to pick up their vehicles and there is no contact with them.” In the province of Valencia, the Civil Guard has carried out a total of 3,400 rescues since last Tuesday and it is estimated that around 300 people are still isolated.
In the same way, the situation is worrying in the Castilian-Manchego municipalities of Mira and Letur. Today, 57 members of the Army have joined the search efforts for the at least five missing in the latter.
Sánchez and Feijóo, in Valencia
The President of the Government traveled to Valencia this Thursday, Pedro Sanchezand the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóoto meet with the head of the Consell, Carlos Mazónand learn first-hand about the situation. Sánchez has emphasized what the authorities have been insisting on and what Castellón and Tarragona clearly demonstrate: DANA has not concluded.
“I want to tell citizens not to leave and that it meets the requirements of the emergency services,” said the President of the Government, who has also expressed “the commitment” of the central Executive to the Valencian Community.
Sánchez recalled that they have mobilized a “huge amount of resources and troops“. “More than 1,000 UME troops, more than 1,800 national police, 750 civil guards, 200 Army troops and 335 vehicles, helicopters and planes. Any more resources you need, the Government of Spain is here,” he added.
Feijóo, for his part, has recriminated the Sánchez Executive their lack of information and collaboration after the “national emergency” that Spain is suffering and has stressed that the management of this “catastrophe” is falling on the regional presidents and mayors.
“I am very proud of the collaboration of the regional presidentsof the mayors and I believe that they are the ones who have carried the weight of this national emergency,” Feijóo declared, adding that all of them will continue to collaborate because they are “a pineapple.”
He president of the Generalitat, however, has implicitly distanced itself from the statements of its leader, and thanked Pedro Sánchez “for his closeness and his quick presence” in the catastrophic area.
“Direct, express and without bureaucracy” aid
This Thursday morning, Carlos Mazón appeared to announce the first aid from the Consell for those affected by DANA in the province of Valencia.
This is a starter pack of 250 million euros included in a decree that is expected to be approved next Tuesday. They will mean a minimum of 6,000 euros per victim in “direct, express, without bureaucracy” aid to fix houses or buy furniture and will also be compatible with those offered by other administrations such as the central government.
On the other hand, social aid will be activated “to dependents and highly vulnerable people” to cover, for example, relocations or changes of residence. This section also provides assistance for free duplication of documents, free transportation cards for public transportation and psychological assistance for relatives of victims and anyone affected.
The third block will focus on the infrastructureswith a specific plan that includes direct aid to the municipalities for their reconstruction.
On the other hand, Mazón has announced that he has already spoken with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyento start the activation of the European Union solidarity fund. “The request is finalized. We will also request a special line of complementary aid,” he said.
Likewise, he explained that for the purchase of furniture, appliances and the complete rehabilitation of the home he will promote tax deductions in personal income tax and the Valencian Institute of Finance will activate credit lines at 0%.
Letur and Mira, “recovered by 2028”
For his part, the president of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Pagehas declared today before the media that the resources will be put in place as soon as possible so that “the In 2028 we can not only say that Mira (Cuenca) and Letur (Albacete) have recovered from the catastrophe, but that they are better than before“.
The socialist has communicated that starting Monday all administrations will meet in the area to coordinate the different actions and that the rescue teams had already begun “detect possible bodies in pools” by Letur.
On the other hand, has been “satisfied” with the functioning of the coordination protocols before the arrival of DANA, although he has acknowledged that, given the balance of personal and material damage caused by the rains, it is “almost offensive” to highlight that fact.
In an interview with RNE, García-Page stated that in Castilla-La Mancha “the mobilization was as planned” and the resources “were available” precisely because they were alerted.