Thousands of people gathered in central Valencia on Saturday to criticize the response to the October floods that killed more than 200 people. Among other things, the protesters are demanding the resignation of Carlos Mazon, the autonomous president.
Demonstrators condemn the actions that took place during the floods in the Autonomous Province of Valencia, as well as the management of the crisis after the floods receded. Protesters displayed banners calling for justice and accountability. According to the AP news agency, some demonstrators clashed with the police in front of the city government building in Valencia, where the march to the seat of the regional government began. The police used batons to drive them away.
The main demand is the resignation of Carlos Mazon
These demands included the resignation of the president of Valencia, Carlos Mazon, who the residents of the east of Spain consider him to be mismanaging at an important time. One of their accusations against Mazon is that his administration did not send enough flood warnings. Some had to receive them when the water was already entering their homes. One of the protestors had a placard with him and wrote: The alarm sounded when I went up to the balcony.
Cars on flooded streets in Valencia – silent video Reuters/Kevin Jacek Rifa Stelmach
Mazon, who belongs to the conservative People's Party, has also been criticized for a very slow and haphazard response to the disaster. These volunteers were the first to reach many of the most affected areas in the southern suburbs of Valencia. It took several days for local authorities to request the central government to send in additional troops.
– We are alive, but I don't know how. The only thing I want to say is that there must be responsibility for this abandonment and institutional neglect, said Angela Quadrilla, a 22-year-old student, to Reuters reporters.
According to the AP, Mazon told regional station À Punt on Saturday that “the time will come to hold officials accountable” but that the most important thing now is to “clean up our streets, help people and rebuild.” He also noted that he “respects” the march.
Flooded streets of ValenciaReuters/[email protected]
More than 200 dead
223 people died in a severe storm, flood and flooding that occurred in Valencia at the end of October. The search continues for dozens of missing people – they are currently concentrated along more than 25 kilometers of the province's coastline, where the water may have washed away the bodies.
The scale of the flooding that destroyed dozens of municipalities in Valencia is the result of an atmospheric phenomenon known in Spain as DANA (depresion alasada en niveles altos). It forms when cold air meets warm, wet air in the Mediterranean Sea, causing extreme weather events.
Main image credit: David Ramos/Getty Images
