The Valencian government has unveiled a monumental plan for the reconstruction of Ground Zero following the devastating DANA of October 29. The “Endavant Plan,” with an estimated budget of 29 billion euros, is not only designed to repair the damage incurred but also to fundamentally transform the entire Valencian territorial model against future natural disasters. President Carlos Mazón emphasized at Monday’s presentation that it would be irresponsible to dismiss the DANA as a singular event. Rather, it is a stark warning that compels action to prevent such immense pain and destruction from ever happening again.
Innovative Measures for Greater Safety: From Elevators to School Training
The plan, explained by Francisco José Gan Pampols, the Second Vice President for Economic and Social Reconstruction, includes 339 structural measures. Many of these initiatives are direct lessons learned from shortcomings identified during the emergency. These include:
- Elevator Batteries: Additional batteries in elevators to prevent entrapment during power outages caused by floods.
- Automatic Bilge Pumps: Mandatory installation in all buildings.
- Vertical Evacuation Routes: Establishment of routes to roofs or safe upper floors in buildings.
- Massive Reed Removal: Cleaning and clearing of river channels from reeds and obstructive vegetation.
- Hydrological Stress Tests: Comprehensive tests for every ravine and catchment area to identify risk zones.
- Flood Protection Barriers: Installation in garages to prevent water ingress.
- School Training: Regular drills and education on evacuation protocols during floods for schoolchildren to establish a preventive culture.
- Housing Plans and Land Delimitation: Redefinition of construction zones and incorporation of new technical standards for buildings.
Prevention, Protection, and Emergency Management: The Pillars of the Endavant Plan
The Endavant Plan rests on four main axes: Infrastructure, Prevention, Protection, and Emergency Management.
Prevention and Early Warning
Prevention will be strengthened by a complete modernization of monitoring and early warning systems. This includes individual guides for each ravine and the implementation of comprehensive hydrological and hydraulic stress tests. These tests are intended not only to identify high-risk areas but also to define specific protocols for extreme rainfall.
Protection Measures for Buildings and the Population
In the area of protection, the plan proposes an amendment to building regulations that mandates the installation of automatic bilge pumps. In all buildings, whether public or private, vertical evacuation protocols are to be developed. Special attention is paid to training schoolchildren in evacuation protocols to raise awareness of flood hazards from an early age.
Improved Emergency Management and Infrastructure
Emergency management will be optimized through a proposed regulatory change that ensures authorities providing information also interpret its implications. Raw data should no longer reach decision-making bodies without context. Municipalities will be required to report ravine water levels every 60 minutes when an orange alert or higher is activated.
In the area of infrastructure, comprehensive measures are planned for the Poyo and Magro ravines. Rainwater tanks and flood parks will be installed. A joint study with the government will analyze the causes of road and bridge collapses during the flood to adapt construction methods.
Funding and Institutional Proposals
The estimated budget of 29 billion euros will be borne by 14.5 billion euros from the Generalitat, 12.6 billion euros from the General State Administration, and the remainder from other entities. Mazón emphasized that national infrastructure projects such as the Mediterranean Corridor or intermodal train stations, which would add an additional 12 billion euros, are not included in this document as they exceed the scope of competence.
Institutional proposals include the establishment of a mixed limited company for the management of hydraulic infrastructures, involving the Generalitat and the State, as well as the intention to establish a State Water Authority based in the Valencian Community. Additionally, a parliamentary monitoring commission is to be established in the Regional Parliament to oversee the plan’s implementation.
Initial Successes and Broad Support
Since the DANA, 2.4 billion euros in direct aid has already been disbursed, and 945 million euros allocated for works. Garages have been cleaned, waste removed, and over 180,000 hours of heavy machinery work have been performed.
The presentation at the Corts of the Palau de la Generalitat took place before a wide range of institutional, economic, and social representatives, including the entire regional government, provincial councils, chamber presidents, trade union leaders, employer associations, mayors of the affected municipalities, and representatives from universities and technology institutes.
