The Director General of Emergencies and Interior of the Balearic Government, the Ibizan Pablo Gárriz, has praised the society, institutions and emergency services of Ibiza for their behaviour during the various episodes of flooding suffered this autumn, highlighting their “strength, coordination and solidarity” in very difficult times.
At the request of the PSIB-PSOE, Gárriz appeared this Wednesday in the Balearic Parliament to explain the details of the management of the emergency caused by the heavy rains in Ibiza on 30 September.
The director general did not limit himself to this first episode; he used his appearance to also offer explanations regarding the management of the second emergency that occurred on the island — again due to heavy rain and flooding — a few days later, on the weekend of 11 and 12 October. “In matters of emergencies, responsibility must be shared and politics must be at the service of citizens”, he reflected.
Regarding the first episode of rain, recorded on the morning of Tuesday, 30 September, Gárriz recalled that the Directorate General of Emergencies and Interior had been informing the population since Sunday 28, with the activation of the corresponding Meteobal Plan alerts and their dissemination through official channels.
“Record time” response
“The priority in this emergency phase was to ensure public safety, recover critical infrastructure and reopen the affected roads, all with the aim of restoring normality as soon as possible. That is why more than 450 personnel were working with over 70 vehicles”, said Gárriz. Normality was restored 48 hours after the floods, “a record time”, he stressed.
In total, 409 incidents were managed, including the emptying of the EI-800 road, which leads to the airport and where three million litres of water had accumulated. “to do what we did in two or three days, we would have needed between a month and a month and a half if we had only used the island’s local resources”, he said.
The second episode lasted longer and was marked by the weakened condition in which Ibiza found itself, still affected by the previous floods. The most intense rainfall occurred on Saturday, 11 October, with precipitation levels that prompted the sending of ES-Alert messages to Formentera, Ibiza and parts of Mallorca.
As a result of the new rains, Ibiza again suffered flooding, and the INUNBAL Plan was once more activated in Operational Situation 2. In addition, the mobilisation of the UME was requested again; by 5 a.m. on Sunday, 12 October, they were already operating in the affected area.
The rains continued through Sunday morning. This time, a third more water accumulated on the airport road: four million litres that, “thanks to the efficiency of the UME”, were again removed in record time.
“Constant monitoring” of the situation in Ibiza
While the emergency situation was still active, the Emergency Action Plan for Infrastructures in Ibiza was set in motion. Directed by the Directorate General of Water Resources, it aims to provide provisional short-term measures and permanent long-term solutions in the most problematic areas to reduce or prevent future flooding in case of repeated rains. The Govern, Gárriz recalled, has already invested three million euros in this plan.
“The action of the Govern does not end with the deactivation of the emergency phase”, stressed the Director General of Emergencies and Interior. “Since then, we have maintained constant monitoring of the situation in Ibiza, with a clear commitment to accompaniment, prevention and structural reinforcement. The emergency was managed efficiently, but definitive solutions require continuity, planning and resources — and that is what we have done”, he said.
Finally, he recalled that, in addition to the three million euros from the Emergency Action Plan, the Govern has also transferred five million euros in non-refundable aid to the Consell de Ibiza to support those affected. “We want this aid to reach those who truly need it as quickly as possible. This demonstrates the commitment and priority of the Government of Marga Prohens to the wellbeing of the affected citizens of Ibiza”, he concluded.