20.3 C
New York
Friday, November 1, 2024
pCloud Premium

Flood survivors say regional Spanish officials waited too long to warn them of the danger



241101 valencia mb 0923 1dc318

The massive number of dead — easily making the floods the worst natural disaster in Spain in living memory — has raised questions about how this could happen in a European Union country that excels in public safety.

As rescuers continued to pull bodies from the mud and debris Thursday, anger also began to grow among the families and friends mourning lost loved ones and many more thousands whose livelihoods have been shattered by the deluge. The streets were full of people walking to procure basic supplies with their cars ruined and the streets undrivable because of the mud and debris.

The Valencian regional government is being criticized for not sending out flood warnings to mobile phones until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, when the flooding had already started in some places and well after the national weather agency issued a red alert indicating heavy rains.

Valencia regional President Carlos Mazón, of the conservative Popular Party, defended his administration’s management of the crisis, saying “all our supervisors followed the standard protocol” that was coordinated by Spain’s central government.

Spain’s Interior Ministry said in a statement that regional administrations are responsible for sending alerts to warn the population of possible flooding and other natural disasters.

Mazón is also under fire for his announcement at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday that the storm front would “lose strength” by 6:00 p.m. The opposite occurred.

The size and violence of the extreme weather event was shocking and extremely difficult for any administration to prepare for and predict. But Valencia, on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, has a history of autumn storms that produce floods, albeit at a smaller magnitude than this monster of a storm.



Source link

Odisha Expo
Odisha Expohttps://www.odishaexpo.com
Odisha Expo is one of the Largest News Aggregator of Odisha, Stay Updated about the latest news with Odisha Expo from around the world. Stay hooked for more updates.

Related Articles

Stay Connected

0FansLike
0FollowersFollow
0SubscribersSubscribe
Best Lifetime Deals on SaaSspot_img

Latest Articles

Alastair Down: Racing broadcaster and journalist dies aged 68

0
The Racing Post said: "The enormous affection of racing fans and punters for Down was felt equally keenly in the press room, plus...

Trump and Harris to rally in the Rust Belt

0
ShareWhat the early voting data shows about new voters — a group that could swing the electionJosh Clinton and John LapinskiWith nearly 60...

India seek to avoid rare home series whitewash against NZ – Sport

0
MUMBAI: India will look to avoid a rare series whitewash at home when they meet New Zealand in the third and final Test...

Seismic change in Botswana as party that ruled for 58 years loses power

0
But Botswana faces new challenges and the mood for change became evident as a downturn in the global demand for diamonds badly impacted...

Indian Railways asked to pay ₹30,000 to passenger over dirty toilet, lack of basic...

0
The South Central Railway (SCR) was recently directed by the district consumer commission of Vizag to compensate a passenger with ₹30,000 following...