MADRID(Spain): Spain is dispatching an additional 5,000 soldiers and 5,000 police to the eastern Valencia region following deadly floods that had wreaked havoc in the region for the past week, as announced by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Al Jazeera reported on Saturday.
During an address, Sanchez described the disaster as the second-deadliest flood in Europe this century and noted that it represents Spain’s largest peacetime deployment of military and security personnel.
Till now, the floods have resulted in at least 211 fatalities, with 202 occurring in Valencia, marking the country’s deadliest natural disaster in recent history, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Rescuers are still searching for bodies in submerged cars and waterlogged buildings today, four days after the devastating flash floods that obliterated everything in their path. Several people still remain missing.
According to Al Jazeera, authorities are under scrutiny for the effectiveness of their warning systems before the floods, with opposition politicians criticising the central government in Madrid for its slow response in alerting residents and deploying rescue teams.
“There has been a sense of anger that people have been left abandoned here,” reported Al Jazeera from Paiporta, one of the severely affected neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Valencia.
Prime Minister Sanchez acknowledged the inadequacy of the response, stating, “I am aware the response is not enough; there are problems and severe shortages… towns buried by mud, desperate people searching for their relatives.”
Susana Camarero, the deputy head of the Valencia region, stated that essential supplies have been delivered “from day one” to all accessible locations. Authorities have restricted road access in the Valencia region for two days to facilitate more efficient search, rescue, and logistics operations.
Officials report that dozens of people remain missing, though providing an exact number is challenging due to extensive damage to communication and transportation networks. According to Al Jazeera, citing Cadena Ser radio, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said that it was “reasonable” to expect the death toll to rise.
The storms that initiated the floods on Tuesday were caused by cold air moving over the warm Mediterranean waters, a phenomenon typical for this time of year. However, scientists warn that climate change driven by human activity is exacerbating the intensity, duration, and frequency of such extreme weather events, as reported by Al Jazeera. (ANI)