The regional government of the Valencian Community, in Spain, asked this Monday for resources from the rest of the country to unblock the sewage and water sanitation network and avoid “serious public health problems” after the floods of October 29.
Almost two weeks after the floods, in which more than 220 people died, cleaning work continues in the affected areas and warnings and recommendations are issued to the population for fear of public health problems.
In a publication on social network X, the president of the Valencian government, Carlos Mazón (Popular Party, right), stated that the region needs “Sanitary network unblocker for trucks. to avoid serious public health problems” and asked the largest employers’ confederation in Spain (CEOE) and other autonomous communities.
We spent 3 days asking the Government of Spain for trucks to unclog sewage to avoid serious public health problems. Don’t forget it.
We have asked the CEOE and the rest of the Autonomous Communities to contribute with all the means at their disposal. Thanks to…— Carlos Mazón (@carlos_mazon_) November 11, 2024
Mazón, as he has done in recent days, once again complained about the central government of Spain, led by the socialists, guaranteeing that he has been asking for these trucks from Madrid for three days and “they don’t arrive”.
The Minister of Territorial Policy, Miguel Ángel Torres, avoided confrontation with Mazón and told journalists this Monday that the coordination and mobilization of resources of all entities and administrations has been carried out daily within the emergency response team and that there are currently on the ground in Valencia “the largest device ever mobilized in Spain in peacetime.”
“We will continue to act in co-governance, coordination and collaboration between administrations,” said Miguel Ángel Torres, at the entrance to one of these coordination meetings, in Valencia, which was also attended by Carlos Mazón, who did not comment upon his arrival on this topic. or the demonstration on Saturday in the city of Valencia called to demand his resignation and which mobilized some 130,000 people, according to the authorities.
“Today we remain very focused on reconstruction,” Carlos Mazón limited himself to saying, who has become the biggest target of criticism regarding the political management of the consequences of the floods, while the central government is questioned for maintaining protection of the autonomous executive in the hands of field operations.
Minister Miguel Ángel Torres also said this Monday that the Government of Spain is focused on rebuilding the affected areas and “there will be time later for many demonstrations” and “to take political positions.”
In an update this Monday of the situation on the ground, the Generalitat Valenciana stated that “the number of professionals dedicated to the removal of waste and sludge has increased to almost 700”, in coordination with the city councils. According to authorities, more than 3,000 tons of debris and waste are removed daily from flood-affected areas.
“It is important to follow the important health recommendations in the areas affected” by the storm, that is, “in cleaning tasks, waste management and other risks such as stagnant water or the use of electricity,” warned the Valencian Community, in a statement. . The executive once again emphasized that the populations of the more than 70 affected municipalities should only use bottled water for both drinking and cooking and revealed that on Sunday he launched “a plan to combat pests and insects”, with disinfestation actions in all areas. localities.
The storm and floods on October 29 left at least 222 dead in southeastern Spain, 214 of them in the Valencian Community. According to the authorities, there are 41 people reported missing and 19 bodies remain in the morgues of Valencia to be identified, whose biological data are being crossed with those provided by relatives of the missing.
In this Monday’s statement, the Valencian Government highlighted that regarding “operational work, the priority continues to be the search for possible victims” in the affected areas and also at sea. Almost a week after the floods, 49 schools in flood-affected areas reopened on Monday, with around 22,000 students returning to classes for the first time since October 29.
Source: Observadora
