President of the Government coordinates deployment of resources following earthquake in Murcia

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is coordinating operations with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade in order to provide assistance to those people affected by the earthquake in Lorca.
The President of the Government has been in touch with the President of the Regional Government of Murcia, Ramón Luis Valcarcel, and the City Mayor of Lorca, Francisco Jodar Alonso, to convey the support of the Spanish Central Government and condolences for the families of the victims of the earthquake. He also explained the measures being adopted by the Government to provide assistance to those affected.
The Government has deployed 225 members of the Emergency Military Unit (Spanish acronym: UME), more than one hundred members of the State Security Forces and Organisations and resources from the Civil Protection Agency.
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is in permanent contact and is receiving regular reports from the First Vice-President of the Government and Minister for Home Affairs, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, on the deployment of Civil Protection and National Police resources; from the Minister for Defence, Carme Chacón, on the action being taken by the UME; from the Minister for Public Works, José Blanco, regarding the condition of infrastructures and transport resources; and from the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Trade, Miguel Sebastián, on the status of telecommunications and electricity supplies.
The President of the Government was with His Majesty the King of Spain when the earthquake struck in the middle of the afternoon on Wednesday, 11 May. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero immediately ordered the deployment of the Emergency Military Unit (UME) stationed in Murcia.
At 01:00 hours, the Regional Government of Murcia confirmed eight deaths and considerable material damages in the city. The latest figures from the Government Delegation report eight deaths and 167 injured (three of those seriously).
On Thursday, 12 May, the First Vice-President of the Government will travel to Lorca to assess the situation following the earthquake.
The State Coordinating Committee for the State Seismic Plan (Spanish acronym: CECO) has held a meeting at the main headquarters of the Civil Protection Agency.
The earthquake measured 4.4 on the Richter Scale and was followed by an aftershock measuring 5.2 with its epicentre in Lorca itself at a depth of 10 kilometres.
The majority of the damage has been reported in Lorca and Totana, although the city of Albacete and Vélez-Rubio (Almeria) have also been affected.