Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Wednesday in parliament almost €2.3 billion in further aid for the country’s flood stricken region as he defended his government’s handling of the disaster last month.
The country is still reeling from the 29 October floods that killed at least 229 people, washed away roads and rail lines, submerged fields, and gutted homes and businesses, mainly in the eastern region of Valencia.
Spain’s worst natural disaster in decades has sparked widespread fury at elected leaders for their perceived mishandling of the crisis. ALSO READ: Over 130,000 march in Valencia to protest handling of deadly floods.
Sánchez announced a fresh package of 60 measures for stricken citizens worth nearly €2.3 billion that now brings the total aid provided in the wake of the disaster to €16.6 billion. ALSO READ: Sánchez announces a further €3.8bn in flood aid as anger at leaders grows.
Under Spain’s decentralised system of power, regions are in charge of disaster management, but the events have triggered a blame game between Sánchez’s minority left-leaning coalition government and the right-wing regional government of Valencia.
‘I ask that people not be misled: if you want to find culprits, look for them, do so, but don’t point the finger at the public services who fulfilled their responsibilities,’ the socialist (PSOE) Prime Minister Sánchez told the Spanish Congress.
‘The question is whether the Spanish government has fulfilled its responsibilities and the answer is that it has done so. It has done so from the outset and continues to do so and will continue to do so for as long as necessary,’ he said.
The central government has said that the regional Velancian government took too long to convene and coordinate emergency response to the storm, and to send out a mass alert to mobile phones.
But the head of the regional government, Carlos Mazón of the main opposition People’s Party (PP), has said he received ‘insufficient, inaccurate and late’ information from the state weather agency (AEMET) and a central government agency responsible for monitoring flood risks. ALSO READ: Regional president of Valencia admits to ‘mistakes’ in handling flood disaster, but refuses to resign.
He has come under fire for attending a three-hour lunch with a female journalist on the day of the disaster, when his government sent emergency alerts to mobile phones when water was already gushing through some towns.
Sánchez said on Wednesday he was ‘absolutely open’ to the creation of a parliamentary commission of enquiry to look into the state’s response to the floods but said he felt it was ‘not yet the right time’.
The Bank of Spain estimates the floods were likely to knock 0.2% off the country’s GDP in the last quarter of the year while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) sees a ‘limited’ impact from the disaster on growth.
ALSO READ: Felipe VI and Letizia return to flood zone for first time since being pelted by mud.
ALSO READ: Search for those still missing after floods also moves to Valencia coastline.
ALSO READ: Bodies found of two young brothers, two weeks after flash floods in Valencia.
ALSO READ: Destruction caused by Valencia floods to cost state and insurance sector over €10 billion.
ALSO READ: Spanish royals, PM and regional president pelted with mud by flood survivors.
Después de este tercer paquete de medidas, habrá cuantos paquetes sean necesarios.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) November 27, 2024
Mi Gobierno no va a dejar de trabajar por los valencianos y valencianas hasta que todos ellos hayan podido recuperar la normalidad.
El tiempo que haga falta. Con los recursos que sean necesarios. pic.twitter.com/fwvwHMQhY3
Sign up for the FREE Weekly Newsletter from Spain in English.
Please support Spain in English with a donation.
Click here to get your business activity or services listed on our DIRECTORY.
Click here for further details on how to ADVERTISE with us.
