The Valencian Community seeks normality after the Adam

The regional government of Valencia has approved a first aid package worth €23.5 million for residents affected by the DANA Adam storm, which struck the southern coast of Valencia and northern coast of Alicante. The Council convened an extraordinary session on Tuesday to approve the measures, according to President Juanfran Pérez Llorca, who announced them during an institutional statement after chairing the meeting. The aid aims to minimize bureaucracy and paperwork, with families receiving €6,000 for essential items and damages to their primary residence, and €3,000 for secondary residences. Those who lost their homes will receive €800 per month for 12 months to assist with relocation. Municipalities will have up to €200,000 each to cover urgent expenses, bringing the total allocated funds to €23.5 million. Additional support includes free legal, notarial, and registry services for affected individuals dealing with insurance claims or disputes. Pérez Llorca stated that further aid packages targeting vehicle losses, agriculture, commerce, hospitality, and animal shelters would be approved soon. These aids will be direct and streamlined, allowing applicants to submit requests online via the regional government’s website or in person at municipal offices and PROP centers. The administration aims to provide immediate assistance, emphasizing coordination and speed in response efforts. In response to the emergency, the regional government deployed over 40 heavy machines and 271 personnel for cleaning streets and public spaces. Additional 80 units were added on Wednesday for repairing forest trails. Collection points have been set up for residents to dispose of waste without blocking roads or causing hygiene issues. More than 100 technicians are working to restore electricity to damaged sewage systems using emergency generators, while repairs continue on pumping stations and electrical equipment. Cleaning operations have begun at schools and health centers, with all affected institutions resuming classes tomorrow except those in Olvida, where students will return on October 22, excluding the IES Gabriel Císcar. All healthcare facilities remain open, except for auxiliary clinics in Els Poblets and Piles. Members of the Council visited affected municipalities this week alongside their teams to assess damage, expedite solutions, and initiate administrative procedures to restore services and return to normalcy as much as possible, according to regional government sources. Vice President Second and Minister of Presidency, José Díez, was among those present. The Valencian Community is striving to return to normality following the DANA Adam, which devastated areas along the southern coast of Valencia and northern coast of Alicante on Monday. Water levels in many homes continue to recede, though many residents had to evacuate due to severe flooding. Over 2,600 citizens were evacuated, with 1,000 rescued, some with water up to their waists, as the historic storm claimed four lives, three in the region. Residents of the hardest-hit areas continue to clean their homes, remove water, and recover belongings from still-flooded buildings. The weather associated with DANA Adam has started to improve after leaving extraordinary rainfall accumulations of 650 to 700 liters per square meter, overflowing rivers, and severe floods, particularly along the coasts of Valencia and Alicante. Improved weather conditions allowed the Valencian Government to lift restrictions in eight municipalities along the southern coast of Valencia and northern coast of Alicante, and begin demobilizing the Emergency Military Unit (UME). Two shelters remain open in Xàbia and Oliva, in collaboration with the Red Cross, to accommodate those unable to return home yet, according to EFE. On this day, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the Advanced Command Post in Oliva (Valencia) alongside President of the Valencian Government, Juan Francisco Pérez Llorca. During the visit, there were shouts and boos directed at the head of government. Sánchez praised the cooperation of all security forces in the emergency and emphasized the need for unity, particularly in prevention policies against climate change, which he described as fuel for tragedies such as DANA and fires. He called on all political forces to reach a national agreement on a climate change pact. He also announced that the government would declare the area as severely affected by a civil protection emergency, allocating economic resources and facilitating public procurement to help affected individuals resume normal life as quickly as possible. The Cabinet approved on Tuesday a temporary incapacity status for both employees and self-employed individuals affected by catastrophic events such as DANA, equating the situation to one resulting from a work-related accident. Meanwhile, President of the Valencian Government, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, urged institutions to work together in reconstruction and prioritize people's interests above political ones to meet citizens' expectations. He expressed confidence that all administrations would do the same. Pérez Llorca noted that the early warning of meteorological forecasts allowed better coordination, preparation, and prevention. He previously announced that the regional government council would approve an aid package for affected municipalities later in the afternoon on Tuesday. The Provincial Council of Valencia has urgently approved a €750,000 aid package for Oliva, Piles, Miramar, Bellreguard, and Daimús, affected by DANA Adam, providing €150,000 to each municipality. DANA Adam is beginning to weaken after leaving more than 700 liters per square meter in parts of the Marina Alta and Safor between Alicante and Valencia. Although the rains will lose intensity, the ground remains highly saturated, and any new precipitation could worsen flooding and incidents. The most adverse episode will move towards Catalonia and the Balearic Islands tomorrow, while a change in the configuration of the polar jet stream will favor the arrival of a deep depression and cold air, causing a sharp drop in temperatures starting Tuesday. Pilar de la Horadada (Alicante) saw significant water accumulation this morning, surpassing 130 liters per square meter during the event. The rains flooded several streets and filled the urban promenade, channeling water toward the Mediterranean Sea. The State Meteorological Agency maintains a yellow alert in the Balearic Islands for rain and thunderstorms, with a high risk level as instability continues to be associated with DANA Adam. Catalonia keeps the Inuncat plan active after more than 100 alerts related to the rains since 7 AM on Monday, mostly due to falling trees, vehicles blocked by water, landslides, and partial collapses, with no injuries reported. Civil Protection will maintain the Inuncat plan in alert mode throughout the night and has asked for caution after the river Gaià exceeded the alert threshold in Vilabella, Tarragona. During the night, the warning for intense rain remains in effect, with the possibility of exceeding 40 liters per square meter in 30 minutes and 100 liters in 24 hours in some areas of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. President of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, expressed his condolences for the deceased in the Valencian Community, Catalonia, and Andalusia due to the passage of DANA Adam. In a message on social media, the leader of the Popular Party addressed the loved ones of the victims, expressing his sympathy. He also thanked everyone working under these difficult circumstances. "Many..."