The incomprehensible delay of the government in deploying the Army due to the cold drop

Part of Spain is experiencing a purely catastrophic situation due to the cold drop that occurred on Tuesday and the floods it caused.

The military deployment in Spain after the cold drop catastrophe, in pictures
Initiatives to help the victims of the cold drop in various regions of Spain

Right now, Valencia is experiencing infrastructure problems typical of a war situation, with highways and rail links cut off. In addition to the travel problems that this entails for many people, this situation threatens to cause a serious logistical problem in the area. This afternoon, the president of the Valencian Community, Carlos Mazón, has asked the government to deploy the Armed Forces "to reinforce logistical work and the distribution of aid to the population."

Related to this logistical problem, looting is already taking place in the affected areas. In the last 24 hours the National Police has arrested 39 people because of this. It is shameful that there are people who take advantage of this situation to commit robberies. However, it must be taken into account that some people are living desperate situations in the affected areas, without access to basic necessities.

Last night I showed here the deployment that the Armed Forces are doing in the affected areas. I can only have words of praise for the soldiers who are participating in this deployment. However, the force deployed is clearly insufficient considering the dimensions of the catastrophe. Without being exhaustive, when reviewing the troops that are being deployed (according to the official communication channels of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense), I have missed the following:

• The deployment of the First Military Police Battalion, which is based in Valencia and whose members have the necessary training and means to reinforce the Police and Civil Guard in security tasks and even crowd control.
• The deployment of units from the Engineering Arm, which have the necessary means to build temporary bridges where the floods have destroyed these infrastructures, in addition to having excavators, graders, sapper vehicles, boats and other useful means for this situation.
• The deployment of military logistics units, which are highly trained and have remarkable capabilities to help in a situation as serious as this one.
• The deployment of more helicopters of the Army Airmobile Forces (FAMET). So far, only those attached to the Military Emergency Unit (UME), belonging to the Second Emergency Helicopter Battalion (BHELEME II), and a CH-47F Chinook of BHELTRA V. This is insufficient in view of the magnitude of the catastrophe.
• The mobilization of Navy ships to provide logistical support and, if necessary, also medical support. For this mission, the Spanish Navy has such formidable ships as the aircraft carrier "Juan Carlos I" and the two amphibious assault ships of the "Galicia" class. Valencia is a coastal city and has the advantage of being able to receive help by sea.

I know right now that there are many soldiers willing to go to the area to help. We have the best professionals in our Armed Forces and a situation like this requires people like them. I hope that the government acts on this as quickly as it has shown to assault the RTVE council in the midst of a catastrophe, because the situation in the affected areas is becoming unsustainable.

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Photo: Ejército de Tierra. Three VAMTAC ST-5 VMOE of the Special Operations Command prepared to join the rescue tasks of victims of the cold drop, this Wednesday, October 30.