Pedro Sánchez announces the dispatch of another 5,000 soldiers and 5,000 police and civil guards to Valencia

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech after the meeting of the crisis committee to monitor the effects of the DANA (Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has announced that he is sending another 5,000 military personnel and 5,000 national police and civil guards to the Valencian Community to assist in the areas affected by the DANA. This reinforcement is in addition to the teams sent in the last 48 hours that include more than 2,500 military personnel, 1,800 national police and 2,700 civil guards.

"We are talking about the largest deployment of troops from the state law enforcement forces and agencies ever made in our country in peacetime," stressed the chief executive, who highlighted the 4,800 rescues they have already made. and the more than 30,000 people they have helped in homes, on roads and in flooded industrial estates.

"An additional 4,000 troops from the military units will arrive in the province of Valencia today, and first thing tomorrow morning the remaining 1,000 troops will arrive. That's a total of 5,000 more in the coming hours," he explained. The president also said he has ordered the deployment of a navy amphibious ship equipped with operating theatres, helicopters and a fleet of support vehicles.

"Whatever it takes"

Pedro Sánchez appeared after chairing a new meeting of the crisis committee that is monitoring the effects of the storm, again underlining that the government will mobilise all the necessary resources "for as long as it takes" to help local councils and autonomous communities to manage the situation.

"The Government of Spain is, of course, assisting the regional authorities in everything they have requested". On this point, the President of the Government reiterated that, as he has already told the President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón, the central government is ready to help.

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his appearance after the meeting of the crisis committee to monitor the effects of the DANA | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

"If he needs more resources, he must ask for them, with no need to prioritise some municipalities over others, or prioritise tasks. If the Valencian Community requires more troops, machinery, funding or technical advice, all it has to do is ask for it and it will be supplied immediately, as we are already doing with the 5,000 military personnel requested".

The President of the Government stressed that the Valencian authorities know the terrain better than anyone else: "Their technicians, their firefighters, their policemen, their public servants live and work there and they know what has to be done. If they do not have sufficient resources to do it, they must ask for what they need from the General State Administration", insisted Pedro Sánchez, in accordance with a way of proceeding that "has allowed our country to successfully overcome numerous natural disasters and previous crises".

Saving lives, identifying victims and ensuring basic supplies and security

In addition to the main task of saving lives, the president indicated as priorities at this time the recovery and identification of the bodies, the re-establishment of basic supplies, guaranteeing security on the streets, and the activation of all the economic resources necessary to quickly set in motion compensation for the territories affected by this DANA, "the most serious flooding our continent has seen so far this century".

In this context, the chief executive explained that to speed up the recovery and identification of bodies "with all the guarantees and dignity the victims and their families deserve", 20 teams of forensic experts, psychologists, police officers, scientists, several mobile morgues and a Disaster Victim Identification Unit of the General Commissariat of the National Police have been deployed.

The president also explained that among the actions implemented, and with the aim of restoring normality to basic services in the affected municipalities, 300 specialists from the General Directorate of Roads have been deployed, who have already removed more than 2,000 damaged cars and trucks, started repair work on the Chiva and Torrent railway tunnels and the C1 and C2 commuter lines, and implemented measures to facilitate the distribution of foodstuffs.

Regarding security, Pedro Sánchez reported that the state law enforcement forces and agencies have already made more than 82 arrests for criminal acts and will continue to patrol the streets with a greater number of troops to ensure respect for order and the law. At this point, the president thanked the Valencian people for their contribution to these tasks, conveying to them the executive's "admiration" and "support".

Declaration of severely affected area

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, appears to report on the development of the crisis committee for the DANA | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

Last, in relation to compensation for the territories affected by the DANA, the President of the Government announced that the next Council of Ministers will approve the declaration of an area seriously affected by a civil protection emergency for the affected areas, and that an Interministerial Commission will be created to work to promote the reconstruction and economic revival of these areas.

Pedro Sánchez also reported that the Government of the Valencia Region will be authorised to cover all the emergency expenses it needs, with no limit on resources, and that 100 new positions have been created for interim public servants who will join the government sub-delegations and the Government Delegation in the Valencia Region as of this Monday to speed up the processing of aid to the victims.

The chief executive also explained that the procedures are already being followed to apply for aid from the European Solidarity Fund and the use of other Community support resources from the European Union. At this point, Pedro Sánchez referred to the messages of solidarity received from the entire international community: "I can only say thank you," he said.

Pedro Sánchez ended his speech with a call for unity in the face of a situation that he described as "dramatic": "I am aware that the response that is being given is not enough. I know there are severe problems and shortcomings," he acknowledged. "But I also know that we must do what is needed together, united," he continued. The president concluded by recalling "Spain always gives its best in times of crisis. Let us add another chapter to the story of prevailing and resilience to the story of our nation and overcome this crisis. Together. I know we can do it".

Non official translation