NATIONALISTS SLAM SOCIALISTS OVER CRITICISM OF STORM RESPONSE

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Friday February 5 2010

TENERIFE'S ruling Canarian Coalition on Friday rejected Socialist Party criticisms of its handling of Monday's storm and floods.

by JAMES TWEEDIE

The CC group in the island's Cabildo government issued a statement denouncing its critics two days after a press conference where Cabildo president Ricardo Melchior was inundated with difficult questions about the response to the emergency.

The nationalists accused the PSOE of not “rising to the circumstances in the most critical moment” but of opportunistically using the crisis for political point-scoring.

Mr Melchior's party rejected socialist allegations that it had failed to take necessary precautions and had spread panic amongst the population, as well as their demands that the CC should take responsibility for the damage done.

Instead the nationalists levelled the same allegations against the opposition, accusing them of "inaction and lack of commitment" to the island and alarming the populace with their attacks on the government.

The CC also laid the blame on the State Meteorology Agency for what it said was an inaccurate forecast of the storm.

Instead it called for the construction of a weather radar warning system for the island.

Tenerife's drainage systems – many no more than roadside ditches – were unable to deal with the February 1 Deluge.

Some roads collapsed and in the capital Santa Cruz one tram derailed under the weight of water rushing along the road.

Many homes and business premises were flooded with water or mud. The total damage has so far been calculated at more than €11 million.

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