Andalucía flood evacuees begin gradual return home after week of relocation
Residents in Grazalema start returning to areas declared safe by geologists, as President Juanma Moreno visits the Ronda sports centre to promise reconstruction fund
Some of the residents of the Cadiz town of Grazalema, who had to leave their houses more than a week ago to avoid the floods in Andalucía, can now return home. Others will have to wait until technicians declare their area safe.
President of the regional government (Junta) Juanma Moreno made the announcement during his visit in Ronda, where most of the Grazalema evacuees share meals and pass the hours at the sports centre.
Moreno said that areas of the town receive the safety stamp only after a technical assessment, backed up by reports from the geologists who are currently measuring the risk of ground movements in the town.
Unfortunately, some of the evacuees will have to continue living in Ronda, away from their homes, until the teams deem their streets safe. The return will be gradual.
"This gives us a glimmer of hope," Moreno said, as he went around the tables at the sports centre to talk to the people whose routine the heavy storms have disrupted in recent weeks.
Modification of budgets
During his visit, Moreno also confirmed the implementation of the Andalucía Actúa plan, which will "allocate" economic means to repair the areas that most need it.
The Junta has earmarked more than 500 million euros of its own funds for the initial phase of the recovery of the road network. The actions will focus, in the first place, on roads considered essential for the access of residents and for the operation of schools.
Moreno also announced that places in classrooms in Ronda and Zahara will open for the children who cannot return home yet to resume their studies.
