DISASTER ZONES: Government agrees emergency aid TWO WEEKS after flooding devastates south of Spain

ALMOST two weeks after devasting flooding swamped parts of the south of Spain the country’s Council of Ministers has finally declared the areas disaster zones.
Some areas saw up to 400 litres per square metre fall in some areas in a 24-hour period over the weekend of October 20 – 22.
Last week a meeting of Ministers in Sevilla postponed their decision.
But today (Friday) the Council has approved ‘extraordinary aid’ for those affected by the floods in the provinces of Malaga, Sevilla and Cadiz in Andalucia where torrential rain led to the death of a firefighter and many people saw their properties severely damaged and their possessions wash away.
The declaration comes after demonstrations which saw protestors take to the street for mass meetings and even stop traffic on a main road at Teba – one of the affected areas.
Although, the damage has not yet been quantified it is recognised that it of sufficient magnitude to justify the activation of emergency aid.
The funds will help to ‘alleviate personal and material damage to housing and equipment and compensate the owners of industrial, commercial, agricultural, fishing and tourism establishments among other services.’
The Junta de Andalucia has already allocated €37 million after devasting floods.
Some of the affected areas still do not have their water supplies or communications reconnected and the railway line between Malaga and Sevilla could take three months to repair after a huge section of the embankment was washed away leaving the track suspended in mid-air.

Junta allocates €37 million after floods and urges Spain’s government to declare disaster zone