During the investigation into the large-scale tragedy that occurred in Valencia on October 29, 2024, new details emerged in court that could shift the course of the case. An emergency services worker from 112 testified, casting doubt on the official account provided by regional authorities regarding the delay in issuing a mass alert to the public. According to him, information about the critical threat in the barranco del Poyo area was already known to the autonomous community leadership after midday, long before the emergency message was sent out to residents.
Previously, representatives of the Valencian Community government and opposition politicians maintained that the delay in issuing alerts was due to a lack of timely data from national bodies, such as the Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar and the meteorological agency Aemet. However, new testimony suggests the situation unfolded differently.
Timeline: What happened on the day of the disaster
On the day of the flood, the 112 emergency call center was overwhelmed by nearly 20,000 calls. According to the employee, this surge of calls made it possible to quickly assess the scale of the disaster. By 1:00 p.m., senior officials of the regional government, including former head of the Department of Justice and Home Affairs Salome Pradas and her deputy Emilio Arguso, visited the emergency services building in L’Eliana and were briefed on the risks in the Poyo area.
Video footage provided to investigators confirms that Ilunion employees, who manage the call center, reported severe conditions and problems caused by the heavy rains as early as the morning hours. Later, in a conversation with Pradas, hydrological warnings concerning the Poyo ravine and the Magro river were discussed.
First distress signals and authorities’ response
A 112 operator noted that requests for help had been coming in since the morning from towns where hardly any rain had fallen, such as Aldaia and Quart de Poblet. After 16:40, there was a sharp increase in calls from Chiva and Cheste—the headwaters of the Poyo ravine, which became the epicenter of the tragedy.
Despite clear signs of impending disaster, a mass alert to the population via the Es Alert system was not sent out until 20:11. By that time, most of those missing had already perished. Investigators believe that if the warning had been issued earlier, more lives could have been saved.
The investigation continues: new questions for officials
The presiding judge emphasized that the timing of the emergency alert has become a key focus of the investigation. The case files now span more than 42 volumes, with each new fact raising further questions about the regional authorities’ actions during the critical moments.
Testimony from the 112 operator, which matches the security footage from the emergency services building, casts doubt on the official narrative of an “information blackout.” Now, the decisions and actions of specific officials are under intense scrutiny, as investigators believe they may have influenced the outcome of the tragedy.
Impact on the region and next steps
The tragedy in Valencia claimed 229 lives and stands as one of the most significant disasters in Spain in recent years. The public is demanding transparency and accountability from officials, while the court continues to collect evidence and review the actions of all those involved.
In the coming months, further interrogations and the release of new materials are expected, which may shed light on the causes of the notification delay and provide answers to the questions troubling thousands of families across the country.
