'Dana' floods
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J.M.L.
Albacete
Saturday, 30 November 2024, 08:53
The old town of Letur in Albacete is sinking by about five millimetres per year, something which could have been aggravated by the 'Dana' storm at the end of October, experts warn.
The town, with a population of 1,000, was one of the worst-hit on 29 October. Six inhabitants died when the river that runs through the town burst its banks. Now, amid reconstruction, geologists have warned that the old town sinks into the earth by about five millimetres per year, a circumstance that could have been provoked by the recent floods.
For this reason, both these experts and the mayor of Letur, Sergio Marín, are calling for this alarming fact to be taken into account in the reconstruction of the municipality, which will last until 2028.
"It is a priority to have a report on the matter in order to provide all the means, with the formulas that the experts tell us, and to know how these movements are progressing, if they are vertical and also horizontal, and to know the minute-by-minute evolution so we can take these conditions into account when reconstructing this municipality," said Marín, who received a visit from minister of territorial policy Ángel Víctor Torres on Tuesday 26 November.
Geologists at the institute of Albacete studies said a geological study is crucial in order to know the current state of the subsoil. This study is usually accompanied by a geotechnical report to understand the behaviour of the soils and rocks that make up the ground beneath the town. The head of the geology department of the institute, Ana Teresa Moreno, said: Iit is essential to carry out this type of research in Letur to guarantee stability and safety in this area included in the potential flood risk areas".
As a result of the floods, 45 families from Letur are still living outside their homes and are seeking refuge among family and friends "although their needs are being monitored daily by social workers and they also have the psychological support of Caritas".
A total of 13 houses have needed to be demolished, although the figure could rise as work continues to clear other buildings to assess whether they will be habitable in the future. Work has also begun this week to try to restore the electricity supply in the old town as soon as possible.
Also the result of the 'Dana', is two temporary lay-offs (ERTE) filed in Letur, affecting workers in the hotel and catering sector "although this figure could increase in the coming days", according to Castilla-La Mancha minister of economy Patricia Franco "because the local small businesses with employees in their charge are being affected by tourist activity grinding to a halt".
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