The number of fatalities caused by the DANA in the Comunitat Valenciana has reached 211 people, according to the latest report of Emergencies. Adding the victims of Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia, the national total amounts to 215. This data has been updated in the Integrated Operational Coordination Center (Cecopi), which confirms the figure after the activation of the Multiple Victims Procedure and the data provided by security forces. The DANA has taken more lives than the worst attack suffered by Spain on 11-M when 193 people lost their lives and more than 2,000 were injured. At present, the count in the province of Valencia is still provisional, while the process of victim identification continues. Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Minister of the Interior, said in an interview that the number of missing persons will be published in the next few days. Grande-Marlaska underlined the complexity of the identification, pointing out the physical conditions of the corpses. In any case, regarding the number of missing persons, Óscar Puente, Minister of Transport, said that they are working with a low figure although it has not yet been officially made public, given the prudence in such a sensitive matter. He explained that the number of missing persons responds to the number of reports, often duplicated.
Security deployment and arrests
The minister reported the deployment of 10,000 agents between the National Police and the Civil Guard to guarantee security and manage emergency tasks. He also confirmed the arrest of 140 people for acts of looting, and assured that “the weight of the law will be strict” with those who commit these crimes.
Regional management and request for state support
Grande-Marlaska recalled that the management of civil protection is a regional competence, and encouraged Carlos Mazón, president of the Generalitat Valenciana, to evaluate whether he needs state support to manage this crisis, as suggested by the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo.
Economic impact of the DANA
The Generalitat has quantified the damage in the industrial sector at 10,000 million euros and 1,873 million euros in areas such as Education, Culture and Employment. During a meeting with the Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, the Councilor of Employment, José Antonio Rovira, and the Councilor of Industry, Nuria Montes, requested 250 million euros for an Extraordinary Training and Employment Plan that activates measures such as ERTE of force majeure and exemptions in the contributions of companies and self-employed. In the province of Valencia, the damage has affected 370,000 workers and 62,000 companies, including 123 business zones and industrial parks. The Generalitat urges the Government to extend insurance coverage and an extraordinary fund for the repair of industrial and commercial assets in the affected areas.
