In response to the devastating floods that struck the Valencia region of Spain on October 29, which resulted in over 222 fatalities, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced the deployment of French reinforcements to assist with recovery efforts. This decision comes nearly two weeks after the disaster, amidst increasing criticism of local authorities' crisis management. Retailleau confirmed that 40 rescuers from civil security military units and about ten local firefighters would be sent to support the affected population, as Spain officially requested assistance through the European Solidarity Fund.
Simultaneously, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez unveiled a new package of support measures worth nearly 3.8 billion euros aimed at aiding flood victims. This follows an initial aid plan of 10.6 billion euros announced last week. The government is mobilizing thousands of soldiers, police, and emergency services to repair infrastructure, distribute aid, and search for missing individuals. Sánchez emphasized the government's commitment to restoring normalcy and assured that the political discourse regarding the crisis management would follow once recovery efforts were underway.
The regional president, Carlos Mazón, acknowledged errors in the management of the disaster, admitting that mistakes had been made in the response to the floods. He is expected to address these issues in the regional parliament soon. The situation has sparked widespread anger, resulting in mass protests in Valencia, where around 130,000 demonstrators gathered to express their frustration over the alleged mismanagement by authorities.
