Alex Trelinski
ARMED forces will continue to work in Valencia’s flood-hit area for as ‘long as necessary’.
The pledge was made by Defence Minister, Margarita Robles, during a visit on Wednesday to the region.
She checked out vehicle removal work as well as the ongoing operation to find the three missing people in the Barranco del Poto area.
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Robles said that the Integrated Operational Coordination Centre (Cecopi) decides on where the troops are needed.
The minister highlighted the army’s professionalism who ‘do not haggle over efforts’ or hours, ‘with the personal risk’ that the work entails.
Robles said there is still ‘much to be done’, especially in the search for the missing people.
“The armed forces will not stop for a moment until all of them are found,” she promised.
She visited the Turia river in Ribaroja where the area was being combed for a fifth time to see if anybody can be found.
Two specialist teams are involved in the search there.
On the removal of vehicles, Robles praised the work ‘in a very difficult and complicated time-consuming task’.
The minister said: “Something like this takes a long time as divers look for cars in poor visibility conditions.”
“Once a vehicle is located, the removal process starts and it might weigh up to 6,000 kilos taking it account the mud, swamp, and the water.
Robles finished by saying: “No one can doubt the professionalism and commitment of each and every one of the more than 25,000 military personnel who have already passed through Valencia, in the almost 10,000 missions they were assigned”.
