One Week After Devastating Floods in Eastern Spain, 89 People Are Still Missing

Authorities in the Valencia province of eastern Spain, which was severely affected by heavy flooding last week, announced that 89 people are still missing in the area. This news was released on Tuesday, November 7, coinciding with a speech by the Prime Minister of Spain. The High Court of Valencia stated in a statement on Tuesday, November 7, that the figure of 89 only includes individuals whose personal information and identity have been identified by responsible authorities so far, and with the ongoing collection of information, the number of missing persons may increase. According to official statistics, at least 217 people lost their lives in last week's flooding, but only the identities of 133 of them have been confirmed so far. More than 200 of the victims are from the Valencia province. Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, stated at a press conference following an emergency cabinet meeting that the central government will allocate more than 10 billion euros to compensate for the damages caused by the flood. He added, 'The search for the missing continues; many homes and businesses have been damaged, and a large number of people are facing shortages of essential items and basic services. The government will continue its efforts to assist the people and restore the region to normalcy.' The High Court of Valencia also stated that the forensic department has conducted 195 autopsies so far, and the identities of 62 victims are still unknown. Responsible authorities have asked residents of the flooded areas to provide DNA samples of their missing family members to the police and judicial authorities. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Science and Technology of Spain announced that a research vessel has been dispatched to the Mediterranean waters near Valencia and will begin searching for the bodies of victims starting November 10. Some experts speculate that the flood may have carried the bodies of some victims into coastal waters. The 10 billion euro budget allocated by the central government for compensation includes approximately 840 million euros in direct cash assistance to affected families and businesses, and about 5 billion euros in government-backed loans at low interest rates. Another part of this budget will be allocated to cover municipal costs during the flood response, relief efforts, and finally, the reconstruction of damages to infrastructure and public services. Initial estimates indicate that around 100,000 vehicles were damaged or destroyed due to last week's flooding. Independent experts and agricultural and industrial unions in the Valencia province also state that economic damages may exceed 10 billion euros. Pedro Sánchez, the socialist Prime Minister of Spain, in response to criticisms regarding the slow pace of relief operations, emphasized that in recent days, about 15,000 personnel from civil defense, firefighting, police, and armed forces have been dispatched to the affected areas. He stressed that the best way to address the consequences of natural disasters in a specific area is to send the necessary human resources and equipment for the local government in that province. These remarks by Sánchez were a response to criticisms from opposition parties that have recently called for a national state of emergency. The Valencia governorship is controlled by the People's Party, the conservative opposition party, and according to some local media analysts, one reason for the slow and inadequate relief efforts has been the lack of coordination between the central government and the local government and the 'political games' of the two rival parties.