The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced the immediate mobilization of 5,000 additional military personnel to the areas affected by DANA in the Valencian Community, in addition to 5,000 additional police and civil guards who will join the rescue efforts. “The central government is ready to act, if the Generalitat needs more resources, it asks for them,” said Sánchez.
This was announced during an appearance from Moncloa, during which he expressed his “deepest affection” for the victims and assured that the government and administrations were with them. “The government will mobilize all possible resources to help,” he said, while confirming the total number of 211 victims in a tragedy which is now “the second flood which has claimed the most lives in Europe until now. now this century.”
The Spanish government is acting on the ground around five clear priorities, assured Sánchez. “The first, save lives. In the last 48 hours, we have deployed more than 2,500 military personnel, 1,800 national police and 2,700 civil guards in the province of Valencia, who are helping to rescue survivors and restore normality to the streets,” he said. -he added. “These troops are assisted by the army, digital equipment and satellites, specialized vehicles, helicopters, drones and boats.” This is, the president declared, “the largest deployment of members of the armed forces ever made to the country in peacetime. “4,800 rescues were carried out and more than 30,000 people were rescued. »
However, he admitted that “the scale of the disaster makes this aid insufficient, as it takes time to reach many points.” “That is why I am happy that President Mazón has decided to increase the demand for military personnel from 500 to 5,000 people. And the Spanish government will carry out this expedition. Today, 4,000 additional soldiers will arrive in Valencia and tomorrow morning, the remaining thousand. In total, 5,000 more in the next few hours,” he assured. In addition, the government has ordered the deployment of a navy amphibious ship, equipped with accommodation, operating rooms and vehicles support, which will arrive at the port of Valencia in the coming hours The government has ordered the deployment of police and civil guards, thus doubling the number of people who will participate in the relief operations, thus adding a total of 10,000 soldiers deployed in. the affected areas.
The President of the Government stressed that “the central government is ready to help” and told the President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón, that “if it needs more resources, it must ask for them.” Sánchez said that “it is not necessary to prioritize certain municipalities over others or to prioritize tasks; “It’s a priority when there’s a lack of resources and that’s not the case.”
Crisis committee to monitor the effects of DANA
Sánchez made this statement from La Moncloa, where from the beginning he has chaired the Crisis Committee responsible for monitoring the effects of DANA. Also participating in the crisis commission were the first vice-president and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero; the second vice-president and minister of Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, and the third vice-president and minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera.
Also the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, Félix Bolaños; Defense Minister Margarita Robles; the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente; the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, and the Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant.
Sánchez will also visit this Saturday, with Margarita Robles, the headquarters of the UME, at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base (Madrid).
The number of deaths has now reached 207, as reported this Friday evening by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, in an interview with Cadena SER. “The latest toll I have is 207 victims,” he said, while predicting that, given the circumstances and the assessment of experts and technicians, “unfortunately, we are going to have more deaths.” .
—EXPANDING NEWS—-
