The Government sends 500 more soldiers to the Valencian Community
Madrid – The Government will send 500 more soldiers to the Valencian Community on Friday, 300 from the Army, 100 from the Air Force and 100 from the Navy, who will join the 1,200 troops already present to deal with the catastrophe caused in the area by the dana, the majority belonging to the Military Emergency Unit (UME).
The new troops will operate in the towns of Utiel, Requena, Ribarroja, Torrent, Paiporta and Algemesí, according to sources from the Ministry of Defense who told EFE that the soldiers will be primarily dedicated to opening roads and distributing essential aid, among other tasks.
The Minister for Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, pointed out in a press conference this Thursday after the meeting of the Crisis Committee held in Moncloa under the presidency of the head of the Executive, Pedro Sánchez, that the 500 new soldiers were mostly from the UME.
However, sources from the Ministries of Defence and Territorial Policy later clarified to EFE that there are 300 from the Army, 100 from the Air and Space Ministry and 100 from the Navy.
The Royal Guard, awaiting instructions
In addition, as confirmed by Zarzuela, the Royal Guard has a hundred soldiers available, awaiting new instructions, to join the operation when necessary, following the offer to the Ministry of Defense of support for this unit following instructions from Felipe VI.
Minister Torres said at the press conference that the Government will mobilise the necessary forces to help and recalled that there are already 1,800 national police officers in the affected areas, in addition to 750 civil guards who will be supported by another 280.
“Security is essential for the Government of Spain and we will provide all the necessary personnel,” he stressed.
In this regard, he commented that the Government is making available to the Valencian Community teams of engineers and all types of human resources and infrastructures that are necessary to “be able to open municipal roads and highways” and improve connectivity in the area.
The Government will also provide the Valencian Community with eight more forensic doctors and three more forensic assistants, in addition to the eight forensic doctors and one assistant who are already working in the area, and will make international forensic doctors available if necessary.
The UME continues searching for missing people due to the Dana
Torres recalled that the flood has so far left 155 people dead in the Valencian Community, two in Castilla-La Mancha and one in Andalusia, to which are added “dozens of missing people”.
“We cannot confirm that number, but it is clear that the more days pass without them being found, the more likely it is that we will not have any hope of finding them alive,” he lamented.
Section of street affected by the flood in a Valencian municipality.
He also asked the citizens of the affected areas to be “responsible” and to heed the requests and recommendations of the security forces and other competent authorities, since “the damage has not ended.”
“We are entering (towns) to unblock access and roads and sometimes we have difficulties because we find people moving, when what we are asking at this time is that transfers be avoided in order to normalize the situation as soon as possible,” he warned.
On Wednesday, 150,000 homes in the Valencian Community were without electricity, but this figure has now been halved, according to the minister, who stressed that the gas supply has been restored and they are trying to “normalise” the supply of water to all homes.
The Royal Guard, awaiting instructions
Furthermore, as confirmed by Zarzuela, the Royal Guard has a hundred soldiers available, awaiting new instructions, to join the operation when necessary, after the Ministry of Defence was offered support from this unit following instructions from Felipe VI.
“Security is essential for the Government of Spain and we will provide all the necessary personnel,” said Torres.
In this regard, he commented that the Government is making available to the Valencian Community teams of engineers and all types of human resources and infrastructure that are necessary to “be able to open municipal roads and highways” and improve connectivity in the area.
BY : The Times Union – EFE
