A judge in Catarroja has raised the official death toll from the 2024 Valencia floods to 232. The latest victim, a woman from Guadassuar, died after losing access to oxygen during a blackout caused by the disaster. The court’s decision brings renewed attention to the region’s emergency response.
The death toll from the floods that hit Valencia in October 2024 has risen to 232, after a judge in Catarroja added another victim to the official count. The court recognized the death of a woman from Guadassuar, who relied on oxygen therapy that stopped working when her home flooded and the power went out.
Her case is now part of the judicial record. The forensic report cited by the court found that the loss of both oxygen and mechanical ventilation directly caused the respiratory crisis that led to her hospitalization and death at Hospital de La Ribera on November 6, 2024.
The court in Catarroja had previously added an elderly man from Benetússer to the official victim list in July, recognizing the indirect impact of the floods on his fatal heart attack.
Emergency services and neighbors rescued the woman from her flooded home on October 30, a day after the heavy rains. She was revived at a local care facility and then taken by ambulance to the hospital, but her condition worsened. The judge’s order, delivered today, makes clear that the blackout caused by the disaster led to her fatal health crisis.
This is not the first time the court has expanded the list of recognized victims. In July, the same judge added an elderly man from Benetússer who died of a heart attack during the floods. While the forensic report could not confirm a direct link, it did note that the stress of the event contributed to his death. The court’s approach shows a willingness to include indirect disaster-related deaths in the official toll.
The Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la Comunidad Valenciana has shared these updates on social media, aiming for more transparency after the floods. The legal process continues to examine how the region handled the emergency, echoing recent public debates, such as the controversy over the Devesa de El Saler fire response.
Recent media coverage highlights that the legal and political debate remains intense: while Compromís representatives argue that timely alerts could have saved lives, the defense of former Generalitat head Carlos Mazón insists there is no individually proven causal link between his actions and the deaths. Mazón's lawyers have formally requested the judge to clarify which hypotheses of his responsibility remain in the case concerning the 231/232 deaths.
For people in Valencia and nearby towns, these court decisions are more than paperwork. They highlight the risks exposed by the 2024 disaster, especially for those who depend on medical equipment or uninterrupted care. Including deaths caused by power outages and equipment failure broadens the scope of official responsibility and raises questions about whether emergency plans are adequate for the most vulnerable. As the investigation continues, the court’s willingness to recognize these cases could shape how disaster-related deaths are counted and how future responses are planned.
