Tens of thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets of Valencia a month after floods devastated the city. They’re demanding regional officials step down after fumbling the emergency response that led to the deaths of more than 230 people.
Around 130,000 people took part in the second such major march since Storm Dana struck the eastern Spanish city last month causing Spain’s worst natural disaster in decades.
Protesters have repeatedly called for Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Mazón, to step down.
Mazón has acknowledged that mistakes were made but refused to be held solely responsible for the tragedy.
He said the floods were unprecedented and apocalyptic and overwhelmed the system, indicating that not much more could have been done to change the outcome.
Mazón has since reshuffled his cabinet and appointed a retired general to lead cleanup efforts, further angering Valencians.
“I am eager for this gentleman to leave, but as soon as possible, because there is no right, apart from the fact that others have responsibilities, the greatest responsibility lies with him, the president of the Valencian Community, so he should go to Picassent [the local prison] as soon as possible,” Vicente Romero, one of the protesters said.
Many describe the local government’s response as negligent and inept.
Protesters say they will continue to demonstrate until those who’ve failed them are held to account.
Flash floods hit Valencia on October 29, causing major flooding as an entire year’s worth of rain fell in just eight hours in some parts of the city.
Mazón’s administration failed to issue alerts to people’s mobile phones until after flooding had begun to submerge some areas.
Thousands of homes and vehicles were destroyed or damaged. Many were trapped in their homes and some say they had to wait for days until help arrived as overwhelmed authorities failed to respond quickly enough.
More than 2,000 residents have not yet been able to return to their homes and some 155,000 people remain without electricity, according to the Valencian Community Housing Department.
Though roads have been partially cleared, a layer of dust still remains on the streets, fading away with each passing day.
Experts are now working towards restoring the sewage system, with workers clearing the saturated pipes to prevent the mud from hardening.
