The Consell de Govern de les Illes Balears authorized this Friday the drafting of a collaboration agreement with the Consell Insular de Ibiza, which allocates five million euros from the 2025 regional budget to address the damage caused by the storms Ex Gabrielle (September 30) and dana dana Alice (8 to 15 October) on the island.
The spokesman of the autonomous Executive, Antoni Costa, explained in a press conference that these funds will allow the Consell Insular to manage lines of subsidies aimed at individuals and legal entities affected, including housing, commercial and tourist establishments, agricultural and livestock farms, vehicles and basic household items.
Background of the storm
The island of Ibiza suffered the combined effects of Gabrielle and Alice, which left heavy rains, floods, road closures and more than 200 incidents recorded. The management of this aid is part of the institutional commitment of the Govern to collaborate with the island in emergency situations.
The storm Ex Gabrielle and the subsequent dana Alice generated a prolonged alert in the Pitiusas, with unusual rainfall values that saturated the ground and complicated the evacuation of water. According to data from the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), the storm of September 30 registered more than 200 liters per square meter in just a few hours in some areas of the island. While the dune Alice came to generate more than 130 lightning in an hour and high accumulations in several points of Ibiza. The Ibiza Town Hall has already warned that more than 65% of the urban area is in a flood zone, which increases vulnerability to these meteorological phenomena.
In addition, about 270 people, including firefighters, police officers, volunteers and technicians, were working in the emergency work deployed on the island after the storms, as was recently reported.
What’s next?
The next step will be the signing of the agreement, the definition of the criteria for granting aid, the application deadlines and the documentation obligations of the beneficiaries.
The Consell Insular de Ibiza must enable the mechanisms so that those affected can submit their applications shortly, while the regional administration will coordinate the actions with the municipalities of the island. It is also crucial to ensure that the funds are distributed quickly and that they reach the most affected sectors: tourism, hotels, agriculture and housing.
