Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Wednesday (27) 2.3 billion euros in additional aid to rebuild areas hit by floods in the Valencia region. The floods were the deadliest in Spain’s modern history.
The government has so far pledged a total of 16.6 billion euros in aid, and Sánchez told parliament he will continue helping as long as needed.
More than 220 people have died and five are still reported missing after torrential rains on October 29 triggered floods that swept through the southern suburbs of the regional capital, Valencia.
Sanchez defended his government’s handling of the extreme weather event, which he said was caused by climate change.
The central government also blamed the regional administration, led by Carlos Mazon of the main opposition party, the Popular Party, for the delay in alerting citizens and asking them to stay at home following warnings issued by the state meteorological service and hydrography experts.
The regions are responsible for disaster management in Spain, but the chain of events has given rise to a blame game between the left-wing minority government and the conservative opposition.
“Climate change kills. There is something much more dangerous than the climate emergency and it is denialist governments that, by action or omission, deny the devastating effects of climate change,” Sanchez told parliamentarians in a criticism of Mazon.
Scientists say extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Meteorologists believe the warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation, plays a key role in making torrential rains more severe.
This content was originally published in Spain announces 2.3 billion euros in new aid to Valencia after floods on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
