Spain is witnessing a high-profile investigation that could reshape attitudes toward the accountability of officials for the consequences of natural disasters. A judge from Catarroja in the province of Valencia has formally charged former Generalitat president Carlos Mazón with gross mismanagement during the devastating flood of October 29, 2024. Investigators believe his decisions and inaction were key factors in the deaths of 230 people.
According to El Pais, Judge Nuria Ruiz Tobarra has submitted materials to the High Court of the Valencian Community (TSJCV), demanding Mazón be held accountable. The documents detail how the former regional head, despite warnings of impending danger, made no changes to his work schedule and spent nearly four hours at lunch in the restaurant El Ventorro with journalist Maribel Vilaplana. During this time, the most severe episodes of the disaster unfolded, including a dam breach and the flooding of several municipalities.
Errors and delays
The judge stresses that Mazón, holding full authority, showed indifference to the situation. In her opinion, his passivity and lack of urgent decisions caused emergency services to respond far too late. The Emergency Coordination Center (Cecopi) was activated only at 5:00 p.m., after the breach had already occurred in the Chiva and Cheste areas, and the flood wave had struck the towns of Paiporta and Catarroja, resulting in the deaths of 55 and 25 people, respectively.
According to case files, on the morning of the tragedy, Mazón was informed about the risks during a meeting at the government building. Nevertheless, he went out for lunch, disregarding the worsening situation in Utiel and Requena, as well as the threat posed by the Poyo River. The judge points out that the regional head not only failed to accelerate emergency services but also did not maintain contact with the responsible ministers, explaining that his phone was in his backpack.
Response and consequences
Investigators were particularly outraged by the fact that Mazón showed no interest in the crisis even after lunch. It was only at 17:37 that he first contacted the Minister of Justice and the Interior, Salomé Pradas, to inquire about the convening of Cecopi. Moreover, according to El Pais, his reaction to reports about the scale of the disaster in the middle of the day was completely inappropriate and showed an underestimation of the seriousness of the situation.
The investigation continues to reveal new details questioning the effectiveness of the regional authorities’ response. For instance, an employee of the 112 emergency service had previously stated that the mass alert about the flooding was sent too late, when it was already impossible to save people. This incident was thoroughly analyzed in the article about the delayed flood alert in Valencia.
Context and new questions
The judge also notes that RTVE footage shows Mazón at 13:45 in the government building, receiving information about the risks. However, from 14:30, when he left for a restaurant, until 20:28, when he appeared at Cecopi, his actions did not match the threat level. Case materials emphasize that the regional head not only failed to accelerate emergency procedures but also did not communicate with responsible ministers, explaining that his phone was in his backpack.
According to El Pais, the judge is demanding to question Mazón and other officials to find out why emergency measures were delayed. There are also questions about how decisions were made during the critical hours and why meteorologists’ warnings did not trigger immediate action.
In recent years Spain has faced several major floods, resulting in casualties and destruction. In 2022, a similar tragedy occurred in Murcia, where a delayed evacuation cost more than 40 lives. At that time, responsibility of local authorities and the effectiveness of the alert system were also under discussion. Following these events, the country tightened control over officials’ actions during emergencies, but new incidents show that issues persist. Each major incident raises questions about the performance of services and leaders, and society is increasingly demanding transparency and accountability for mistakes.
