The Balance of the DANA: Damages Worth 12 Billion Euros in Industry, Schools, and Universities

This Monday marked the first joint working groups between the Central Government and the Generalitat. It was late in the afternoon when the consellers and ministers met to assess the situation, while the president made an institutional statement reviewing some measures to be taken by the regional government to mitigate the effects of the DANA.

A week after the floods that devastated parts of Valencia, various consellerias have made an initial assessment of the damages left by this meteorological phenomenon, and the figures are not positive.

It is estimated that the DANA has caused damages worth 12 billion euros in the Valencian industry and educational centers in the area. This was highlighted by the Minister of Education and Culture, José Antonio Rovira, and the Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, Nuria Montes, during their meeting with the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, and the Minister of Economy and Business, Carlos Cuerpo.

In this first meeting, both ministers estimated the damages in their areas of competence at 12 billion euros, with 10 billion euros being the loss for the industry. It is estimated that 70% of that amount is concentrated exclusively in the affected business parks and industrial estates in the area.

The Generalitat has detailed that the economic activity in the affected area would reach about 370,000 workers, of which 68,000 are self-employed, and about 62,000 companies. In addition to the aid packages for employees, Montes has asked the Government for "an immediate moratorium on their obligations to Social Security and taxes for companies affected by the floods while they cannot resume their productive activity."

Also, a transfer from the General State Administration of an extraordinary fund for the granting of direct aid from the Generalitat for the repair, operation, and reinvestment in material assets of industrial, commercial, and tourist establishments.

On the Education side, Rovira detailed that the damages suffered in a hundred Valencian educational centers amount to 1.134 billion euros and are due to losses in equipment and school transport, dining service, bibliographic funds, electrical installations, cleaning services, and other infrastructures.

Furthermore, the damages in universities and higher education in Artistic Studies exceed eight million euros, while in Culture, both in equipment, cultural industries, and real estate, the damages are initially estimated at 480 million euros.

These damages cover about 65 municipalities, including the neighborhoods of Valencia, and it is estimated that in about 32 localities these damages can be considered "very serious" due to the loss of human lives, impact on large urbanized areas, and the severity of the consequences on infrastructures and housing.

The Consell has also demanded from the Government the extension of the coverage of the insurance consortium and the installation of material recovery facilities that are not covered or not accepted by private insurance.