Delivery time2024-11-10 12:16
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People march on the streets in Valencia, the hardest-hit region, demanding the resignation of the governor.
Protesters confront police in downtown Valencia
(Valencia EPA=Yonhap News) On the 9th (local time), police are confronting protesters demanding the resignation of the governor due to inadequate flood response in downtown Valencia, the capital of Valencia Province, Spain. 2024.11.10
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Hwang Cheol-hwan = In Spain, where floods caused massive casualties, large-scale protests took place denouncing the government’s poor response.
According to CNN on the 9th (local time), in Valencia, the capital of the eastern Spanish province of Valencia, an estimated tens of thousands to more than 100,000 residents marched through the streets demanding the resignation of Valencia Governor Carlos Masson. .
Local media calculated that about 130,000 people participated in the protest, which began at 6 p.m.
In Spain, at least 220 people were killed and about 70 were missing due to a sudden torrential rain that swept the southeastern part of the country on the 29th of last month. Most of the deaths (212) occurred in Valencia Province.
There is growing controversy locally over the government’s responsibility for the large-scale loss of life caused by a natural disaster, which is rare in developed countries.
Even though Spain’s Meteorological Agency, surprised by almost a year’s worth of rain pouring down in 8 hours, issued a ‘red warning’, it took 12 hours before an emergency disaster safety text message was sent to local residents.
Follow-up measures, such as support for victims, were also evaluated as insufficient. Accordingly, on the 3rd, King Felipe VI of Spain and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who visited Paiporta, Valencia, one of the most damaged areas, were showered with swear words, mud and dirt from angry residents, leading to large-scale protests that day.
Protesters who filled downtown Valencia chanted “murderer” and insisted that Governor Masson should resign immediately.
“The state government did not warn of the floods in time and did not respond in time,” one protester told Reuters. “We want them to go and the new government to solve the problems they left behind.”
According to CNN, Governor Masson protested that he had not been warned of the seriousness of this situation in advance by the central government, but the Spanish government explained that it managed to contact Governor Masson after making four repeated phone calls.
Protesters who marched around Valencia City Hall Square were blocked by police armed with riot shields and batons.
As a result, some participants threw objects such as chairs at the police, and buildings were damaged throughout the city, but no serious injuries occurred, Valencia city authorities said.
AFP news agency reported that, in addition to Valencia, similar protests were held in other cities, including Madrid and Alicante.
Valencia Mayor Maria Jose Catala appealed to the protestors to calm down through
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2024/11/10 12:16 Sent
