Guy Hedgecoe
Report from Madrid

The regional government of Valencia has been criticized for not preparing enough for the floods.

“There are governments that privatize and dismantle when they get to the institutions and there are governments that are proud of it,” said Gabriel Rufián of the Catalan Republican Left (ERC).

He was referring to the conservative administration of Carlos Mazón, which eliminated the Valencian Emergency Unit (UVE) when it took office in 2023, on the grounds that it was ineffective.

Speaking on the radio, Mr Mazón defended his handling of the crisis, saying “experts are talking about an absolutely unprecedented situation”.

He also hit back at claims that flood warnings were not strong enough, saying they had been delivered “correctly”.