Twenty experts in urban planning, architecture, and civil protection will gather on March 14 and 15 at the campus of the University of Lorca.
Five roundtable discussions will focus on earthquake and Dana management in Valencia, as well as a field visit to the neighborhoods of La Viña and San Fernando, Lorca Castle, and the Parador de Turismo.
María Hernández, Urbanism Councilor, stated: «We have become a national and international model and we want to continue sharing our experience with other cities to better prepare for potential tragedies.»
On March 6, 2025, Lorca’s Urbanism Councilor, María Hernández Benítez, announced the technical days at Lorca Earth 2011, scheduled for March 14 and 15 at the University of Lorca’s study hall. The event is organized by the municipalities of Malaga and Lorca, in collaboration with the Official College of Architects in Malaga, the Official College of Architects in the Murcia region, the official university for careers, technical architects, and construction engineers in the Murcia region, and the Official Racing College of Malaga.
«Once again, Lorca becomes a reference in disaster management, urban reconstruction, and planning. These days showcase how our city has turned a tragedy into an opportunity to promote safety, efficiency, and resilience,» said María Hernández, emphasizing the city’s national and international reconstruction model status.
Over two days, Lorca will be the focal point for technical analysis and reflection on disaster reconstruction and prevention. Experts in urban planning, architecture, and civil protection will share knowledge, experiences from the 2011 response, and lessons learned over the past fourteen years. Speakers from Lorca and Malaga municipalities, an autonomous community, a government delegation in the Murcia region, as well as universities from Murcia, Malaga, and Valencia will participate.
The Friday program includes five roundtable discussions on emergency management in urban planning post-earthquake, cultural heritage reconstruction, urban planning modernization, management, volunteerism, implementation of safer urban standards, and infrastructure improvement. There will also be a discussion on Dana from Valencia, focusing on interventions, building damages, and heritage preservation.
On Saturday, March 15, there will be a field visit to the reconstructed neighborhoods of Viña and San Fernando, as well as other infrastructures like Lorca Castle and Tourism Parador to observe the developments of recent years. «Lorca’s reconstruction was the largest urban reform in our history, with investments exceeding 1.2 billion euros, resulting in a safer, more efficient, and better-prepared city,» stated the urban planning councilor.
Hernández Benítez stressed that Lorca’s experience should serve as a model for other cities and public administrations. «We have learned the importance of updated emergency plans, requesting construction regulations, and agile administration in aid processing. We also advocate for a specific subsidy law for natural disasters to facilitate reconstruction without bureaucratic obstacles, as seen with the tragedy in Valencia,» she added.
Furthermore, the urbanism mayor reiterated the local council’s requirement for the Spanish government and Safe hydrographic confederation to execute pending hydraulic infrastructure to protect against floods. This is relevant to the Dana discussion from Valencia. «A few months ago, Mayor Fulgencio Gil visited Massassa and Chiva to share the situation and needs of these Valencian municipalities post-Dana with their councilors. We conveyed key administrative and legal insights drawn from Lorca’s experience after the 2011 and 2012 earthquakes,» he said.
He emphasized, «In Lorca, we face another Poyo challenge that we cannot delay. Building wells, Béjar and Torcilla, the Biznaga Rambla drainage canal, and canal cleaning are vital for the safety of thousands of Lorca families. The lives and future of our residents cannot be measured in economic terms. We must learn from tragedies and address these issues,» said María Hernández.
«During these days, we reaffirm Lorca’s role as a reference in reconstruction, emergency management, and urban planning. We hope our experience serves as a learning opportunity for other cities, ensuring necessary decisions are made so we never have to regret a tragedy like the one in 2011,» concluded the Urbanism Councilor, inviting professionals, students, and citizens to participate in and engage with this event.
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