Carlos Mazón, head of the regional government in Valencia, the worst-hit region in devastating floods that hit eastern Spain three weeks ago, on Thursday sacked regional Justice and Interior Minister Salomé Pradas.
Pradas had come in for criticism for failing to take measures ahead of the storm and subsequent flooding that hit the region on October 29 and claimed at least 228 lives, despite her responsibility for emergencies in the region.
In dismissing Pradas, Mazón made no mention of her openly acknowledged ignorance of the existence of a warning system, but instead praised her “great work” as minister and her “political generosity.”
Alerts went out on mobile phones only after 8 pm, hours after roads had been turned into rivers in the region. Prada subsequently admitted that she had learnt of the existence of the so-called “ES-Alert” warning system only during the night of the disaster.
At least 228 people died in the floods, with 220 bodies recovered in the Valencia region alone, according to the latest figures from the regional government. Eight people died in other regions, with a further eight still reported missing.
Damage has been put at a minimum €9.3 billion ($9.8 billion).
There have been mass protests at perceived failings on the part of the authorities amid wrangling between Mazón’s regional government and the central government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid over responsibility for rescue and clean-up.
Mazón announced that he intends to remain in office and said a government reshuffle following the disaster had now been completed with the dismissal of two ministers.
