The Valencian regional government has given the go-ahead, through emergency procedures, to an initial allocation of aid worth €23.5 million intended to repair the damage caused by DANA. Of the municipalities included in this scheme, twelve are in Marina Alta: l'Atzúbia, Beniarbeig, Dénia, Xàbia, Ondara, Orba, Pego, Els Poblets, la Vall d'Ebo, la Vall de Gallinera, la Vall de Laguar and El Verger.
The list of beneficiary municipalities has grown from the 27 initially planned to the 36 at present, after nine municipalities from the Safor comarca were added. Families with damage to their main residence will be able to receive €6,000, a sum that is reduced to €3,000 when the affected property is a second home. In addition, those who have lost their main home will have access to a €800 monthly payment, limited to twelve months, to cover temporary accommodation.
In the municipal chapter, each affected town council will be able to have up to €200,000 to meet urgent expenses arising from the storm, within an initial allocation of around €17.5 million for local authority coffers. To access these grants, affected residents must submit a single application, either electronically through the Generalitat's electronic headquarters or in person at their town hall or a PROP office. The Generalitat has also announced a free legal assistance service to help those affected in their dealings with insurance companies.
The regional government is already working on new support measures, which will presumably extend to damaged vehicles, the agricultural sector, small businesses and animal shelters affected by the flooding. Regarding the scope of this first package, the president of the Generalitat, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, noted that these actions "will mark the recovery of the affected areas and their residents".
Cleaning work and affected services
Cleaning and road clearance work continues on the ground, involving more than 40 machines and close to 300 workers, as La Marina Times reported when covering the overflow of the Girona river in Els Poblets. The auxiliary health centres in Els Poblets and Piles remain closed due to the damage left by the water.
