Government Neglect: Ongoing Damage and Lack of Accountability
Summary of the Article: Failures in response to the DANA Horta Sud Flooding in Valencia, Spain
This article details the failures in preparedness and response to the devastating DANA Horta Sud flooding in Valencia, Spain, one year after the event. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
1. extreme Rainfall & Inadequate Infrastructure:
* The rainfall was exceptionally intense – 180 liters per square meter in some areas,with Turís accumulating 772 liters.
* Ther’s a debate about raising alert levels due to the severity of the rainfall.
* Crucially, long-delayed hydraulic projects, especially the channeling of the Poyo ravine (responsible for many deaths), considerably worsened the impact. These projects where stalled for decades, even after receiving environmental approval in 2011. Budgetary constraints were cited as a major obstacle.
* Current progress on these projects is slow, with the most advanced (Saleta ravine diversion) not expected to be tendered until early 2026.
2. Lack of National Emergency Declaration & Coordination Issues:
* Despite the scale of the disaster and the Generalitat’s (regional government) inefficient response, the central government under Pedro Sánchez did not declare a national emergency.This would have transferred control to the central government and streamlined aid delivery.
* Sánchez’s statement, “If they need more resources, let them ask for them,” highlights the lack of proactive support.
* This lack of declaration led to delays in aid reaching affected areas due to poor coordination between administrations.
* The Generalitat requested a mixed commission with the central government (similar to the one after the La Palma volcano eruption), but the request was denied.
3. Delayed aid & Security Concerns:
* The arrival of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) was significantly delayed.While 1,200 troops were displaced on October 30th, 8,000 soldiers didn’t arrive until December – a month later.
* There were initial reports of looting and insecurity in the affected municipalities, with a perceived lack of initial police response.
In essence, the article paints a picture of a preventable disaster exacerbated by decades of inaction on infrastructure, a lack of proactive central government intervention, and poor coordination between authorities. The focus is on identifying systemic failures that contributed to the severity of the consequences and the slow recovery process.