Spain’s premier announces another $4B in aid for Valencia flood victims

OVIEDO, Spain

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday announced a fresh aid package worth nearly €3.8 billion ($4 billion) to rebuild after catastrophic floods.

Nearly two weeks ago, a storm system caused widespread flooding that devastated the province of Valencia and killed at least 222 people, according to the latest government figures.

The muddy waters wiped out everything from highways to train tracks, and homes to entire factories.

As the area remains largely covered in mud, the fresh aid package comes on top of the €10.6 billion Sanchez announced last week.

Part of the new aid package includes €500 million just to clean up the thousands of tons of mud and debris that continue to cover the affected area, which are now clogging sewage systems and becoming an increasingly dangerous health hazard.

“It is a colossal task,” Sanchez said in a press conference.

Further aid is allocated to house people who lost their homes, as well as increasing direct payments and loans for damages to homes, businesses, farms, and other hard-hit infrastructure.

In his speech, Spain’s Socialist premier avoided criticizing the conservative government of Valencia for its handling of the crisis.

On Saturday, an estimated 130,000 protesters took to the streets of Valencia, calling for the region’s president and government to resign over the failure to alert residents of the floods until it was too late and for a slow initial response.

On Monday, Valencian President Carlos Mazon said he would not step down, although he admitted that “mistakes may have been made.”

As the massive cleanup effort continues, Spain’s meteorological agency issued a fresh alert on Monday for a new storm system that could cause heavy rainfall in the affected area.

According to the agency, potentially torrential rain is expected in Spain’s Mediterranean area from Tuesday, which could further complicate the region’s recovery.

Even so, the high-speed train connection from Valencia to Madrid, which has been out of service since the floods, is set to reopen on Thursday.