THE European Commission has approved a €846 million payout for reconstruction projects in the wake of the October 2024 Valencia flood disaster.
The money comes from the EU Solidarity Fund and the Commission said on Wednesday that the grant will go to the Spanish government ‘within days’.
The cash is on top of a €100 million advance given to Spain in March 2025.
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The October 2024 floods in the Valencia region claimed the lives of 230 people, ‘making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in Spain’s recent history’, the Commission stated.
“It caused enormous damage to homes, schools, hospitals, businesses, and critical infrastructure, as well as displacing entire communities.”
European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “The floods in Valencia were a European tragedy and that is why we are working on a European recovery effort.”
“The funding we have just approved will help rebuild what the disaster destroyed and it is also a concrete demonstration of EU solidarity with our Spanish friends, who are still bearing the weight of loss and grief,” she added.
The new payment will be retrospectively used to finance emergency or recovery measures undertaken from the first day of the disaster.
The money can fund the repair of critical infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and electricity and water networks, as well as temporary accommodation provided to evacuees. and clean-up operations such as waste removal and environmental decontamination.
The aid will also be used to finance measures to improve flood prevention systems, such as drainage networks and early warning systems, as well as the preservation of cultural heritage.
The Solidarity Fund is the EU’s programme for recovery after disasters and emergencies.
Spain has previously been awarded money after the eruption of the La Palma volcano in 2022 (€9.5 million), the Covid-19 pandemic (€57 million), the Lorca earthquake in 2011 (€21.1 million), and the Prestige oil spill in 2002 (€8.6 million).
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