Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced a new €3.8 billion ($4.05 billion) economic relief package for victims of the devastating floods that struck the country in late October, killing over 220 people in the worst natural disaster in over six decades, Bloomberg reports.
This latest package, encompassing 110 different measures, comes on top of a previously announced €10.6 billion relief package and aims to address the growing frustration among local residents in Valencia, who feel the government response has been insufficient.
The announcement follows a massive protest on Saturday, where an estimated 100,000 people marched to denounce the handling of the floods and their aftermath. The anger was largely directed at the president of the region of Valencia, Carlos Mazon, who is accused of failing to act promptly and decisively during the crisis. Sanchez, who belongs to a rival party, has also faced criticism for his initial response.
The recent revelations that Mazon attended a lunch for over three hours on the day of the floods, October 29th, while the Valencia emergency committee met to address the crisis, have further fueled public outrage. The regional government issued an alert to seek shelter only after 8 p.m., hours after the floods began and 13 hours after the national weather agency issued a red alert.
Thousands of soldiers, police officers, firefighters, and volunteers continue to work across the affected areas, which include 75 towns in Valencia and three others in two neighboring regions. Rebuilding entire houses and cleaning mud from those that remain standing are ongoing challenges.
The total cost of the floods is still unknown, but Moody’s estimates insurance losses will exceed €3.5 billion based on initial claims. Most of these claims are expected to be covered by a special government agency for natural disasters.
The latest relief package aims to address the immediate needs of flood victims and to provide a path towards recovery for the affected regions. However, the ongoing anger and the ongoing search for missing people underline the significant challenges that remain in the aftermath of this devastating natural disaster.
