The Government of Spain reinforces coordination and collaboration with the Valencian executive and guarantees all the resources requested

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and several members of his Executive during the third meeting of the crisis committee to monitor the effects of the DANA (Pool Moncloa/José Manuel Álvarez)

The Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, has appeared at a press conference at Moncloa Palace following the third meeting of the Crisis Committee for monitoring the effects of the DANA, chaired by the chief executive, Pedro Sánchez.

Torres reported that agreement was reached during the meeting to "strengthen coordination and institutional collaboration" with the incorporation of the Minister for Home Affairs into the CECOPI (Integrated Operational Coordination Centre) sessions as of tomorrow, and to "guarantee all the necessary resources to meet the needs of the Valencian Community, in accordance with whatever they ask for". As already announced by President Sánchez, the government recalled that the Military Emergency Unit is "ready" and "at the disposal of the Valencian government for everything that needs to be done" and "will go wherever it is needed", and that 500 more troops will join the unit tomorrow. To ensure security in the affected areas, the executive has also committed to deploying all necessary troops.

The minister reiterated that the Valencian government "has, from the outset, all the resources of the state" it requests "at its disposal", specifying the four points addressed in this afternoon's meeting of the Crisis Committee, which have been transferred by the government delegate to the CECOPI in Valencia.

The First Vice-President and Minister for Treasury, María Jesús Montero, the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the Second Vice-President and Minister for Work and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, during the committee meeting | Pool Moncloa/José Manuel Álvarez

He referred first of all to "the victims", putting the number of dead at 158 so far, to which dozens of missing people must be added, before announcing that the government is making available to the Valencian Community "all the capabilities of the Military Emergency Unit to provide a dignified response to the people who have lost their lives and their families who are suffering": morgues, refrigerated trucks, human resources, eight more forensic experts and, if requested, international forensic experts. In short, the president said, "whatever is required of us".

The second point addressed was that of "supply", with the regional government also providing UME resources (helicopters, transport vehicles, etc.) to "transfer the required supplies to Mercavalencia, so that they can then reach the distribution points and, from there, the citizens" of the affected areas.

Third, the Crisis Committee offered the Generalitat "all the resources of the army and the Military Emergency Unit: teams of engineers, civil works, human resources and infrastructure, to be able to open municipal roads, highways and everything that affects connectivity". Therefore, "we are at the service of the Valencian Community for whatever is required" to "make sure that this aid will reach all the corners of the region where it is needed", he reiterated.

The Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, attends the media after the third meeting of the crisis committee | Pool Moncloa/José Manuel Álvarez

Fourth, and last, the "fundamental" aspect of security was addressed. In this regard, the minister recalled that 1,800 national police officers have so far been deployed, as well as 750 civil guards, a further 280 civil guards who are experts in citizen security, and 1,200 members of the Military Emergency Unit, to which another 500 will be added tomorrow.

Torres said that 39 people have been arrested, underlining that "in the face of looting and outrages, the state law enforcement forces and agencies will act with absolute forcefulness", he said.

As for the supply of basic services, he pointed out that yesterday there were 150,000 homes without power, and that not only has this figure been reduced by half, but that the gas supply has also been restored, with the aim of normalising the water supply to all homes in the Valencian Community.

Last, the minister sent out a message of "responsibility" because the DANA "is not over", asking the public to pay attention to the state law enforcement forces and agencies, and the competent authorities, and to especially avoid travelling along the affected accesses and roads. "Let's make sure that the work is done in the best possible way," he concluded.

Non official translation