Spain orders largest peacetime troop deployment after flooding

Spain's government has initiated its largest peacetime deployment of military and security forces to assist the flood-affected region of Valencia, responding to the country's most significant natural disaster in decades.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that an additional 5,000 soldiers and 5,000 police and Civil Guards will be deployed over the weekend, raising the total number of personnel in the impacted areas to approximately 17,000, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Sanchez stated that the new deployments were made at the request of Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Mazon, who, under Spanish law, has full authority over emergency relief operations. He emphasized that if more assistance is required, the regional government should simply ask for it, acknowledging, "I know that the response hasn’t been enough," and stressed the importance of collaboration between the two administrations.

Both Mazon and Sanchez, who represent opposing political parties, have faced increasing criticism as numerous volunteers have stepped forward to assist victims of the flash floods, reflecting a sentiment that governmental responses have been inadequate. The torrential rains on October 29 led to widespread destruction, claiming over 200 lives and leaving many others unaccounted for. Some areas of Valencia experienced a year's worth of rainfall in just a few hours.

Notably, regions like Paiporta, which received little to no rain, were severely impacted by mudslides and water flowing from other storm-stricken areas. According to Spanish law, regional governments have complete legal authority over managing emergency relief during natural disasters, including the ability to request aid from the central government or transfer control.

The central government in Madrid can intervene in the regional government’s authority, but such actions are rarely seen in Spain's history.

By Vafa Guliyeva