Two years after the devastating October 29, 2024, DANA floods claimed 233 lives in Valencia, Spain, the judiciary’s investigation continues to center on the delayed Es-Alert mobile warning, conflicting political accounts, and the legal status of former regional president Carlos Mazón.
Two years after the torrential waters of the 2024 DANA overwhelmed towns and cities across Valencia, the legal and emotional fallout remains raw. While victims’ associations gather to remember the dead and denounce what they view as a persistent lack of institutional accountability, the investigation led by the Catarroja court moves slowly through documentation, witness statements, and disputed timelines of that afternoon.
Judge Investigates Delayed Emergency Alerts and CECOPI Deliberations
On the evening of October 29, 2024, as the Poyo ravine burst its banks and floodwaters surged into homes, garages, and streets, the emergency alert system did not reach residents’ mobile phones until 20.11 hours.
The protracted delay and the debates inside the Centro de Coordinación Operativa Integrada (CECOPI) are central to the judicial inquiry overseen by Nuria Ruiz Tobarra.
Mariló Gradolí told Publico that “the changes have been imperceptible. The people responsible for managing a future DANA would be the exact same ones who were at the helm two years ago. The underlying policies would be identical, but perhaps the regional ministers would act differently now because at least they would be where they need to be. This does nothing more than highlight the negligence of October 29, 2024.”
WhatsApp messages incorporated into the case files show pressure from the inner circle of the regional presidency directed at the then-consellera Salomé Pradas. Messages such as Salo, de confinar nada
reflect instructions from José Manuel Cuenca, chief of staff to the regional president, urging that certain restrictive steps not be taken. Both Pradas and the former secretary for emergencies, Emilio Argüeso, remain under judicial investigation (Infobae reported on the ongoing proceedings).
Judicial Scrutiny, Witness Testimony, and Carlos Mazón’s Legal Status
The judicial proceedings in Catarroja have amassed extensive documentation, including 71 volumes of summary records and 449 separate pieces (Eldiario detailed the accumulation of case files). The inquiry examined not only the hours of the emergency meeting but also the whereabouts of then-President Carlos Mazón during the afternoon of the catastrophe.
Officials initially provided conflicting accounts of his movements and arrival time at the emergency center, where he eventually arrived at 20.28 hours (according to Eldiario’s courtroom reporting).
While the investigating judge sought to extend the inquiry to Mazón due to his leadership role during the emergency, the Civil and Penal Chamber of the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJCV) rejected requests to investigate him directly, concluding that there was no indication of a crime (Infobae noted the court’s rejection of the petition). Mazón retains his seat as an autonomic deputy, leaving his formal status in the main judicial probe in a state of legal limbo.
National and Regional Parliamentary Inquiries Differ in Approach
Parallel to the judicial investigation, political inquiries were launched at both the national and regional levels. The Congress of Deputies established an investigative commission, contrasting with the regional Les Corts parliament, where a commission closed its work amidst criticism from victims’ associations (Publico outlined the differing committee proceedings).
Rosa Álvarez told Publico that the contrast has been brutal; there were two perfectly differentiated models. In Les Corts we were barely listened to.
Two years after the tragedy, survivors and relatives of the 233 victims continue to report psychological impacts, including post-traumatic stress and insomnia, while organizing mutual support networks (Publico reported on the community associations). The judiciary continues to evaluate remaining medical-forensic reports and witness testimonies.