Valencia Mayor Catalá: I Received No Warning on the Day of Dana

Valencia Mayor María José Catalá was summoned to court to testify as part of the investigation into the deadly flood disaster (DANA) that deeply shook the region in October 2024. Arriving at the courthouse in Catarroja as a witness, Catalá became the fifth official to appear before the judge. The statement of Mayor Catalá, who was taken inside from the parking garage for security reasons, is at the center of the ongoing legal process regarding why the sirens in the region did not sound and why the public was not warned. The court process is proceeding in an environment where the local population is closely following the trauma and the accountability of the officials' responsibilities. These statements continue to reveal the scale of the disaster and the administrative vulnerability.

In her statement, Catalá clearly stated that she did not receive any official warning or information from the Traditional Valencian Government (Generalitat Valenciana) during the critical afternoon hours when the disaster occurred. She noted that no information was provided immediately before the suburbs of Valencia, particularly La Torre and Forn d'Alcedo, were submerged by floodwaters. This claim has brought serious questions regarding the lack of coordination between the local government and the regional government back to the agenda. Catalá's statement is of critical importance in understanding why communication broke down within the disaster management chain. The court is evaluating the statements to determine which authorities acted negligently. The mayor's defense is considered a notable step, implying that the responsibility does not lie with her.

The La Torre and Forn d'Alcedo areas stand out among the settlements that suffered the heaviest damage and where numerous people lost their lives due to the flash floods caused by DANA. Local residents have been expressing for some time that they had to leave their homes and loved ones because no warning system was activated during the disaster. Catalá's statements in court bring the "why weren't we warned" outcry, long raised by civil society organizations and victims, onto a legal platform. The public expects to learn why emergency action plans were not activated and why necessary instructions were not issued by the governor's office. In this context, the mayor's testimony is seen as crucial evidence in the victims' struggle for justice. Even though months have passed since the disaster, the statements are being followed with great interest while the pain and the sense of justice sought by the local population remain fresh.

Legal experts and the prosecutor's office conducting the investigation are focused on reconstructing the chronology of events by comparing the statements of senior regional officials, including Catalá. The primary goal of the investigation is to clarify why the mobile phone alert, intended to be sent to the public via the ES-Alert emergency information system, was sent too late or not sent at all. In line with the claims in Catalá's statement, phone records and communications regarding when the Generalitat Valenciana officials and the heads of the Emergency Unit (UCE) became aware of the situation are being examined. This situation constitutes a critical step that could pave the way for potential charges of faulty service or negligence. The breakdown in communication among officials is being questioned not only as an administrative failure but also as the cause of a major tragedy in terms of preventing loss of life.

In the later stages of the judicial process, taking the statements of regional government officials and other witnesses will clarify the distribution of responsibilities among the institutions involved in the case. The people of Valencia and the public demand that the investigation be conducted with full transparency and that everyone who was negligent be brought to justice. Catalá's testimony has once again highlighted how vulnerable local governments can be in regional crises and how vital emergency protocols are. The deep scars of the disaster and the social trauma indicate that the outcomes of the judicial process will affect not just one institution, but the crisis management infrastructure of all of Spain. It is emphasized that current systems must be restructured and faster communication networks established to prevent similar tragedies in the future. For now, all eyes are on the case file, awaiting the judge's decision on who will be tried in the initial phase, in light of the evidence to be collected.