Why not send an ES-Alert during the heavy rains in Tarragona last weekend? That is the question behind the latest controversy surrounding the Generalitat Government upon their return from vacation. Those downpours caused 11 injuries – one critical and another serious -, flooded streets and building basements, as well as closed roads, interrupted Rodalies service, and evacuated campsites. According to Salvador Illa’s Executive, the alert was not sent to mobile phones because the emergency level was below the threshold required to use these mass warnings.
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After the first meeting of the Consell Executiu of the new political term, the Minister of Territory and Government spokesperson, Sílvia Paneque, explained that the protocol for sending these alerts states that this type of alert can only be sent to the population when the emergency is at level 5 or 6 – out of 6 -, but in the case of the torrential rains in Tarragona, the emergency level was 4. “When the Government makes decisions, it does so based on technical criteria; it has been this way until now and will continue to be so,” Paneque emphasized.
The spokesperson insisted that decisions in an emergency are strictly governed by technical criteria and that the teams responsible for citizen safety go far beyond a message. “The Es-Alert is a useful mechanism, but there are others” involving Protecció Civil, Mossos, and other emergency bodies. “It is one more useful measure, but there are other warning and action mechanisms” plus “constant communication with the municipalities,” the minister noted.
“When the Government makes decisions, it does so based on technical criteria; it has been this way until now and will continue to be so”
Furthermore, in the case of Tarragona, there were a series of criteria recommending not to send the alert. Paneque gave an example: “If it is sent at certain hours of the early morning, it could cause people to move around looking for their car in the parking lot, for example.” With this, the spokesperson wanted to highlight that there are several factors to consider when deciding whether to send the alert, such as whether the emergency episode will be long or short, if it had rained days before in the case of torrential rains, if it is prudent to send the alert, if there is enough time for it…, she enumerated.
The minister did not want to take a stance on whether it would have been appropriate to send this alert or not, given the consequences, but stressed that a review of this episode will be conducted to see if any modifications or additional elements need to be considered in the future.
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Sending ES-Alert to the public has become a useful and well-regarded tool by citizens, but it has also generated controversy. With the precedent of the Dana in Valencia, its use has expanded to the point of issuing warnings for less dangerous situations to safety. Initially, they were intended to warn the public of imminent life-threatening risks, but their use has extended preventively. The sending of these alerts has been criticized both for excess and absence but is normally used in alert situations of 5 or 6 out of 6.
Besides material damage, the consequences of the heavy rains in Tarragona have flooded the political sphere. The mayors of the area, some from the same political party as the Government, have complained in recent hours about the alert not being sent, and the opposition has already demanded explanations from the Catalan Executive. Junts and Comuns have filed a specific request for the appearance in Parliament of the Minister of Interior, Núria Parlon, and the head of Protecció Civil.
Paneque maintains confidence in Manel Nadal
Minister Paneque has reaffirmed her confidence in the Secretary of Mobility and Infrastructures, Manel Nadal, despite being under scrutiny for the management of the Rodalies operation during the day of the eclipse. Nadal admitted that the forecasts were not adequate that day, which caused chaos in the service in Tarragona. Still, Paneque stated this Tuesday that she “absolutely” maintains confidence in Nadal. “His secretariat holds a large part of the Government’s mobility challenges” and “he is a person of value and great experience,” the minister justified. Regarding the Rodalies service that day, Paneque commented that she has already requested a report from Renfe and Adif about “a device that, despite being planned, had deficiencies” and that “there are elements to improve regarding information and user attention.” In any case, the leader highlighted that the planning could be changed on the fly because initially more mobility was expected in Terres de l’Ebre, but validations occurred more in Tarragona. “It could be modified with more trains, in two hours, but in any case, I maintain confidence – in Nadal – and he is a fundamental part of the department,” Paneque concluded.
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