Thousands of people demonstrated in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia on Saturday over regional authorities’ handling of devastating floods.
One Of Europe’s Worst Natural Disasters In Decades
Over 220 persons were in the floods which were one of Europe’s worst natural disasters in decades.
Protests In The Centre Of Valencia
In the latest demonstration over the floods, protesters filled the centre of Valencia.
They demanded the resignation of regional government leader Carlos Mazon and chanting “Killers!”.
“Our hands are stained with mud, yours with blood,” read one banner.
Some demonstrators dumped muddy boots outside the council building in protests.
Delay In Issuing Alert
Residents in stricken areas accuse Mazon of issuing an alert too late, at 8 p.m. on October 29, well after water was already pouring into many nearby towns and villages.
The Valencian leader has said he would have issued an alarm earlier if authorities had been notified of the seriousness of the situation by an official water monitoring body.
Mazon did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Objective Of The Protest
“We want to show our indignation and anger over the poor management of this disaster which has affected so many people,” said Anna Oliver, President of Accio Cultural del Pais Valenciano.
The Accio Cultural del Pais Valenciano is one of about 30 groups that organised the protest.
Storm Warnings
Following days of storm warnings from the national weather service from October 25 onward, some municipalities and local bodies raised the alarm much earlier than the regional government.
For example, Valencia University told its staff on October 28 not to come to work.
Several town halls suspended activities, shut down public facilities and told people to stay home.
Threat Level Raised For Heavy Rains
Weather service AEMET raised its threat level for heavy rains in the area to a red alert at 7.36 a.m. on October 29.
Nearly 80 people are still missing in the most deadly deluge in a single European country since the 1967 Portugal floods killed around 500.
