The budget is getting worse of the flood that brought the municipalities of the belt south of to their knees Valencia: at the moment they can at least be counted 211 victimsbut there are still many missing (there are no official data, but the Spanish press reports 1900 people still untraceable). Great emotion was aroused by the rescue of a woman who was trapped in her house for three days car at the bottom of a subway. But it is the only story with a happy ending on a day in which there is growing concern that the final death toll could be much heavier: above all there is fear that in garage still flooded i military subs may find many others corpses.
Speech by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez amid mourning and controversy
After the national mourningspoke the Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez: a highly anticipated intervention after the furious controversy over delays in aid and the rebound of accusations between the central government and that regional of the popular Carlos Mazon. The socialist leader assured that his executive he is ready to do everything to save human lives and stand alongside the affected populations, announcing the dispatch of additional ones 10 thousand men on the ground, between military And policemen. He carefully avoided any polemical hint, aware that now is the time for collaboration between institutions: «There will be time to look back and ascertain the responsibilities and negligence. We must put aside ideological conflicts and differences. Now – was the meaning of his appeal – it is necessary to direct our efforts to the colossal task before us, keeping our country united in adversity and solidarity”. In this spirit, the prime minister announced «the greater deployment of military forces in Spain in times of peace.” With the shipment announced today, they will be further 17,500 the men in uniform to help them flooded.
Criticism of the management of the emergency and self-criticism of the prime minister
However, aware of the indignation that is mounting among the populations affected by the Danaoften abandoned to themselves, Sanchez he admitted that not everything went well: «I am aware that the answer being given is not sufficient. I know that there are serious problems and shortcomings, that there are still services to collapsemunicipalities buried by mud. Houses destroyed. I know we have to do better.” But the prime minister’s self-criticism stopped here, suggesting that the real calculations will be made once the streets are cleaned and the normality. At that point it is clear that there will be a redde rationem which promises to be politically very harsh.
Joint management of the crisis between State and Region
Without giving too much emphasis, Sanchez he explained that at this point it was not the case that the central government replaced theregional authority from the operations guide. So we will move forward with one joint management of the crisis, central state and Region. An unexpected step, in light of the controversial choices of Mazon in the early hours of Dana and not only that. After having underestimated the intensity of the rains and having raised the alarm with fatal delay, El Pais has reconstructed that the governor, despite the absolute severity of the flood, did not declare ‘the’catastrophic emergency‘, the highest level of mobilization required by local law. If he had done so, according to the regional statute, Mazon he would “assume sole command and direction of all emergency activities”. At that point becoming not only politically but also legally responsible for the entire operation to fight against Dana and its consequences.
The technical direction of Cecopi
The sole command, however, passed to the regional councilor responsible for civil protection Salome Pradas. Under her, the most responsible person is the director ofValencian Security Agency, Emilio Argüesowho candidly admitted that he only entered the advanced command post the day after the flood. In practice, the technical direction of Cecopithe integrated center of operational coordinationthe brain of emergency operations and help to the populations, was exercised in the crucial hours by José Miguel Bassetthe chief inspector of Fire Brigade of Valencia. Too little, in front of the disaster of the century.