A Spanish judge has initiated an investigation into the former head of Valencia’s emergency services as part of a broader inquiry into the delayed response to catastrophic floods that resulted in at least 225 fatalities, according to a regional court announcement.
Nuria Ruiz, a judge in Catarroja, one of the towns impacted by the disaster, identified Salome Pradas as the top official in the emergency services.
“The issue is not a lack of information… but rather that, despite having the information, it was either disregarded, its significance was not grasped, or the necessary actions were not taken by those in authority,” Ruiz stated.
On October 29, flash floods devastated the outskirts of Spain’s third-largest city, sweeping away individuals in vehicles and flooding underground garages and ground-floor residences, marking one of the most severe natural disasters in recent history. Three individuals remain unaccounted for.
Local residents have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the authorities’ failure to provide timely warnings about the impending storm and subsequent flooding.
Ruiz is examining potential evidence of homicide and negligence that may have contributed to preventable deaths.
A text alert issued by Valencia’s regional government after 8 p.m. on the day of the floods, advising residents to seek shelter, arrived when many buildings were already submerged and individuals were in peril.
The court noted that over half of the bodies recovered were located in confined spaces, primarily within homes and garages.
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Ruiz criticized the alert as “late and incorrect,” asserting that the emergency coordination meeting, which commenced at 5 p.m., should have been held earlier in the day.
The judge declined a request for regional leader Carlos Mazon to testify unless he chooses to do so voluntarily. Mazon, facing scrutiny for his emergency response, is afforded special protection and can only be investigated by a higher court.
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