Alex Trelinski
THE Valencian government has revealed that the financial damage caused by October’s floods totalled €18 billion.
The man in charge of coordinating reconstruction work, Francisco Jose Gan Pamplos announced the figure on Friday.
He was appointed in November by president Carlos Mazon to head up a new Economic and Social Recovery Ministry in the wake of the disaster.
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Preparation has already started on the recovery plan which is expected to be finished in June.
Gan Pamplos said: “It will be robust, realistic, achievable and measurable.”
He said the floods had affected 306,000 residents in 103 municipalities with 225 deaths and three people still missing.
Presenting his first report, he stated that 11,242 homes were affected with replacement costs estimated at €475 million.
Elevators suffered €160 million in damage along with 141,000 vehicles, of which 120,000 had to be written off.
He explained that €13.8 billion of business assets were damaged- affecting over 64,000 companies and 275,000 workers.
More than 800 kilometres of roads were affected at a cost of €360 million; 550 kilometres of rail tracks (€315 million) and 380 bridges and pontoons.
The floods cost environmental areas €122 million with an additional €324 million having to be allocated for waste management.
Within the leisure and community field, the floods left 168 premises affected at a cost of €20 million; €350 sports clubs at €10 million; and €40 million in losses due events being cancelled.
Carlos Mazon said he would press the Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, to get more help and ‘maximum coordination to accelerate the recovery process’.
“Recovery is a national imperative and the Valencian Community cannot face this challenge alone,” he added.
