A storm of memories
Anniversary of DANA marked with plaque at ' ground zero' in Almoradí
A YEAR on from the devastating DANA storm of September 12- 13, 2019, the Vega Baja area has been marking the anniversary and preparing itself against future disasters of this kind.
An emotional ceremony was held on Saturday at the point where the River Segura’s containing wall broke, causing unprecedented flooding in the municipality.
Mayoress María Gómez was accompanied by provincial government president Carlos Mazón and regional director of presidency Antonia Moreno, as well as numerous other politicians and representatives of the military emergencies unit ( UME), Guardia Civil, Red Cross, fire brigade, local police, Civil Protección, and members of local society and businesses.
A plaque was installed at the point of the breach, which has since been repaired, to remember and thank all the anonymous people who joined forces to help the area recover.
Sra Gómez pointed out that many of them had warned beforehand that better maintenance was needed, for which reason the local council has lodged a claim against the national
government’s Segura river authority ( CHS), ‘ not for money but so that the inaction of the authorities is on record to ensure this does not happen again’.
She said there are still many things to repair but thanked the authorities which have enabled others to be repaired.
She claimed that only 5% of the estimated € 20 million in damage to the municipality has been recognised, with many
homes still not repaired – including eight families who still have not been able to return home - and farmers still waiting for compensation.
Sra Moreno said: “Our mission is to prepare for the future so that we never again have to regret not having done the things we should have.”
To this end, regional president Ximo Puig was due to present the Plan Vega Renhace - a comprehensive action programme
compiled after extensive consultation with the public - in Almoradí yesterday ( Thursday).
He advanced that it will include warning systems and better emergency response training and improvements to the area's 29 waste water treatment plants so that 100% of the treated water can be reused using tertiary treatment and desalination.