The Valencian Generalitat is late again and sends the ES-Alert more than an hour after the torrential rains started

ValenciaAlmost two years after the tragic DANA of 2024, the Generalitat Valenciana has arrived late once again, and last night sent an ES-Alert more than an hour after the rains affecting the Valencia region had become torrential. Specifically, at 10:08 p.m., it broadcast a message to all mobile phones in the area informing of the risk of flooding and requesting that travel be limited, as well as to move to higher floors if an increase in water levels was detected.

The sending of the ES-Alert coincided with the moment in which the Emergency department announced that it was activating level 1 of the special flood risk plan in the hydrological zone of the Poio and La Saleta ravines, that is, precisely in the area most affected by the DANA two years ago. In 2024, the alert was broadcast at 8:11 p.m., when many of the 232 fatalities had already occurred and despite the fact that the rains had already been torrential since early morning, when the red alert had already been decreed.

Orange alert and not red

In its defense, the Generalitat can now argue that yesterday the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) did not declare a red alert for the downpours, a forecast that was met, given that the 180 liters per square meter in 12 hours or the 90 in a single hour were not reached, although in the case of the second indicator it came very close to exceeding it. In municipalities like Torrent, 71 liters accumulated in 30 minutes and 100 in just over an hour and a half. The meteorological agency's forecast estimated accumulated rainfall of up to 60 liters in one hour and up to 120 in two or three hours. As a result of this forecast, the alert that was declared in a large part of the Valencian Country was orange. Finally, and according to the Valencian Association of Meteorology (Avamet), the maximum records were 106 liters in l'Eliana, 102 in Xiva, and 100 in Torrent. In addition, more than 90 liters were also exceeded in Real, Torrent, Vinalesa, and Paterna.

As a result of the downpours, the Generalitat's Emergency Coordination Center handled 744 incidents such as fallen trees, broken branches, and flooded streets, 416 of which were in Valencia, where the airport was also closed. In fact, in the Valencian capital this Thursday, the metro is operating partially and the universities of Valencia and Elx have suspended in-person classes. For the Valencian president, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, and according to statements made this Thursday, "all the warnings worked perfectly" and the non-material damages "are not significant".

For this Thursday, Aemet has once again established an orange alert on the coast of the Alicante and Valencia provinces for precipitation that could leave intensities of up to 60 liters in one hour. Once again, the records could be higher than 120 in two or three hours.