Una sala de emergencia avanzada con sistemas de comunicación y sistema de avisos a la población mediante sirenas es la principal novedad del nuevo plan de emergencia de las presas de Mequinenza, Civán y Los Moros (Caspe).
Este proyecto se presentó este jueves por parte del director general de Interior y Emergencias del Gobierno de Aragón, Miguel Ángel Clavero; los técnicos del servicio de seguridad de Protección Civil de la DGA y de la Generalitat de Cataluña, y Endesa, la entidad titular de estas presas. Este es el primer plan de emergencia implantado en embalses de Cataluña pero no en el caso de los aragonesas.
En la presa de Mequinenza se ha habilitado una sala de emergencia equipada con sistemas de comunicación redundantes ampliando así la capacidad de respuesta ante situaciones críticas.
Además, se han instalado 19 puntos de aviso en los municipios afectados por el plan: 5 sirenas en Caspe y otras 14 en Mequinenza. Asimismo, este plan también incluye al resto de localidades a las que influirían los riesgos de las presas. Es el caso de Fayón, Nonaspe y Torrente Cinca en Aragón, y Granja d’Escarp, Massalcoreig y Almatret en Cataluña.
Protección Civil, tanto del Gobierno de Aragón, como de la Generalitat de Cataluña, ha incorporado este plan en sus actuaciones. «Para disminuir el riesgo, hay que reducir el peligro, ocasionado por la presa, y reducir la vulnerabilidad de los elementos expuestos al peligro, es decir, la población que está aguas abajo. De ahí el refuerzo de seguridad en la presa y la información y formación a los vecinos en riesgo», explicó Ángel Godina, jefe de emergencias del departamento
An advanced emergency room with communication systems and population warning sirens is the main novelty of the new emergency plan for the Mequinenza, Civán, and Los Moros (Caspe) dams.
This project was presented on Thursday by the Director General of Interior and Emergencies of the Government of Aragon, Miguel Ángel Clavero; technicians from the Civil Protection security service of the Government of Aragon and the Generalitat of Catalonia, and Endesa, the entity that owns these dams. This is the first emergency plan implemented in reservoirs in Catalonia but not in the case of those in Aragon.
At the Mequinenza dam, an emergency room equipped with redundant communication systems has been set up, thus expanding the response capacity to critical situations.
In addition, 19 warning points have been installed in the municipalities affected by the plan: 5 sirens in Caspe and another 14 in Mequinenza. Likewise, this plan also includes the rest of the towns that would be affected by the risks of the dams. This is the case for Fayón, Nonaspe, and Torrente Cinca in Aragon, and Granja d’Escarp, Massalcoreig, and Almatret in Catalonia.
Civil Protection, both from the Government of Aragon and the Generalitat of Catalonia, has incorporated this plan into its actions. “To reduce the risk, the danger caused by the dam must be reduced, and the vulnerability of the elements exposed to danger, that is, the downstream population, must be reduced. Hence the reinforcement of security at the dam and the information and training of at-risk residents,” explained Ángel Godina, head of emergencies at the Civil Protection department of the Government of Aragon.
For four years, Endesa, together with Civil Protection from Catalonia and Aragon, has been working to develop a security infrastructure that helps improve procedures and communication protocols with municipalities and other competent bodies.
Prevention for extreme situations
Climate change requires a rethink of emergency plans for dams, as it increasingly causes extreme weather events. This project prevents and informs about how to act in the event of floods (sudden and violent influx of water and flooding due to a flood), rainfall exceeding a certain threshold in each case, landslides, or other more adverse situations, such as an attack or possible structural anomalies in the dam.
These scenarios are ordered into three levels of emergency. As the intensity of the event increases, a different protocol is applied, both for action and communication with the authorities. If there is a “high probability” of dam failure, it would be a level three scenario, in which evacuation sirens would already sound, not for the population, but for workers. This event would never occur suddenly or quickly, given the characteristics of the infrastructure, so action would be taken before residents had to be evacuated, as explained by Francisco José Conesa, responsible for dams at Endesa Generación.
In this way, residents of at-risk municipalities will be aware of these plans, as well as coordinated action in case of emergency. Furthermore, this plan does not end here. Safety reviews will be conducted every five years. This is when it will be determined whether new spillways need to be built, made larger, or other actions need to be taken, for example.
In the event of problems with the Mequinenza dam, action and communication would be taken in the downstream municipalities, such as the Mequinenza municipality itself, Fayón, and Nonaspe, among others. In the case of the Caspe dams, only the city of Caspe itself would be affected.
