Felanitx storm death: PSIB demands ES-Alert warning

A woman died in Felanitx after heavy rain on Wednesday, as a storm battered the Balearic Islands. The socialist PSIB party says the Balearic government should have sent an ES-Alert emergency warning message to the public. Socialist MP Mercedes Garrido said the government knew in advance about warnings for heavy rain and very strong winds.

Emergency services declared an orange alert, but Garrido said that did not go far enough. She argued that the severity of the rain and wind showed a direct ES-Alert warning had been needed.

The party pointed to the University of the Balearic Islands as an example. It told its university community not to leave buildings because of possible risks from the weather.

Garrido also said many people do not know what IG-1 means. It is level one of the Meteobal Plan, the operating level activated by Emergency services for orange alerts.

She asked whether the government had taken action through its early-warning agreement with the University of the Balearic Islands. According to Garrido, that system includes an important indicator warning of flood danger.

PSIB said storms such as Wednesday’s could be a sign of what may happen in the coming months.

Topics: Flooding · Politics · Weather · Felanitx

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com