The Spanish Army is mobilised, with capabilities and personnel from all over Spain, to restore normality in towns affected by the DANA floods.
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Press Release, Madrid, 06 November 2024: [auto-translated] In response to the damage caused by the recent DANA, which has mainly affected the Valencian Community, the Army (Ejército de Tierra – ET) has deployed a large force with resources from all over Spain to collaborate in the emergency and recovery tasks in various towns. This deployment includes a combination of large-scale capabilities and resources, with the aim of restoring normality as soon as possible.
To support the cleaning, rescue and recovery operations, the Army has provided a significant number of logistical and human resources. Among the resources, 38 Sections, six Tactical Subgroups and three Tactical Groups stand out. Thirteen Sections with engineering machines have also been deployed, equipped to act in the most affected areas.
The operation also has Chinook transport helicopters, specialised in moving external loads, and Caimán NH-90, EC 135 and Cougar helicopters, to cover mobility needs in areas of difficult access. Likewise, the Army has set up a logistics base in Paterna, which includes an engineering material maintenance unit, intended to ensure the continuous operation of the deployed resources. For the management of emergency resources, accommodation and maintenance centres have been established in five Army barracks in the Valencia area and in civilian facilities such as the Valencia Fair and L’Alqueria de Basket.
The Army’s work extends over a wide area that includes the province of Valencia and Albacete. The towns of Requena, Ribarroja de Turia, Torrent, Paiporta, Massanassa, Algemesí and Paterna, as well as other areas of the municipalities of Albal, Chiva and Utiel, concentrate a large part of the recovery activities. In Letúr (Albacete), another of the towns most affected by this phenomenon, ET soldiers are also working hard to restore normality to the residents.
In the intervention areas, the deployed units focus on cleaning roads, removing debris and reconditioning affected infrastructure. These activities are carried out at a continuous pace to allow a safe return to normality and meet the needs of the population. The troops also carry out search tasks for missing persons and deliver basic necessities to residents.
All this operation involves forces on the ground, supported by the corresponding command and control elements operating from their home bases, as well as the necessary logistical support to guarantee the development of the operation and its maintenance. This deployment, which will continue for as long as necessary, reinforces the commitment of the intervening forces to ensure a quick and safe recovery in the affected areas, with the priority of caring for citizens and returning normality to their localities.
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