The mayor of Chiva, Amparo Fort (PP), has counted ten deaths in the municipality but fears that the number of victims could be much higher. The cold snap has left nearly a hundred dead in the Valencian Community. The Ministry of Education decided not to suspend classes in the areas affected by the DANA, leaving this decision to the discretion of each town hall. The emergency message for the rest of the citizens of the province of Valencia was sent several hours after the water had already covered the municipalities of l'Horta Sud.
Podemos has formally requested Pedro Sánchez to declare a state of emergency and take control of the situation, as well as approve concrete measures to protect citizens such as reconstruction aid, exemplary penalties for companies that put their employees at risk, temporary expropriation of tourist flats, and specialized psychological help. María Teresa Pérez of Podemos demands an efficient political response because, although the DANA is a natural phenomenon, its management is a political responsibility.
From tonight, Fira de València facilities will be used as a provisional morgue. The Councillor has informed that psychological support teams have been set up to assist those in need, although no information has been given on how to access this service.
In the Balearic Islands, Extremadura, and some areas of the Valencian Community and Catalonia, there is a yellow alert due to the weather situation. The State Meteorological Agency reports the forecast of heavy rains in the north of Castellón and south of Tarragona in the coming hours. The death toll from the DANA in Valencia has risen to 202 people, including fatalities in Castilla La Mancha and Andalucía.
It is expected that the heavy rainfall will continue, and the number of missing persons remains unknown. The general coordinator of Podem País Valencià and deputy spokesperson for Podemos calls for urgent government intervention to control the situation and take effective measures to protect the citizenry. Solidarity and aid actions are multiplying, with hundreds of people crossing to affected areas to bring food and water to the victims, and organizations collecting aid for animals and people affected by the DANA.
