The Valencian Generalitat considered the massive alert of the Dana one hour and a half before shipping | News from the Valencian Community

The Generalitat Valenciana considered to send the mass alert to the phones to inform the population of the danger of the Dana – which left 228 dead in October -, at least, more than an hour and a half before shipping. This has been confirmed in the Court Miguel M., the head of Autonomous Emergencies who validated the notice. In his statement as a witness in the Court of Catarroja (Valencia) that investigates the flood, this person in charge has affirmed that the Deputy Director of Autonomous Emergency, Jorge Suárez, raised for the first time to refer A Esalert – Massive to telephones – at 6:36 p.m., as sources present in their appearance confirm. The final notice, which slipped in the terminals at 20.11 Hours, it has become the cornerstone of the investigations. Instructor Nuria Ruiz Tobarra argues that the delay in this notification triggered the death toll.

The statement of the emergency head, in addition, clashes with the thesis defended last April in the Court by the former Counseling of Justice and Interior during the cold drop, Salomé Pradas, who assured that the Generalitat began to assess the notice « starting at 7:00 p.m. ». The former director appeared as accused, which allows her to lie. And the emergency technician has been summoned as a witness and, therefore, with the duty to tell the truth.

The confession confirms that the idea of ​​the message was placed on the Cecopi table – the emergency body of the Generalitat that coordinated the crisis – between 18.00 and 19.00 of the Aciaga Day. In that period, the meeting registered a disconnection, which prevented institutions such as the Government delegation in the Valencian Community, which were connected by videoconference through the Zoom application, follow the appointment. And participate in the debate on the suitability and terms of the notice. Pradas took advantage of this blackout to call at 18.15 hours the president of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón. His conversation, whose content is an unknown, lasted seven minutes.

The command that has acknowledged that he was informed of the possibility of sending an alert at 6:36 p.m. During the cold drop, this organism was directed by the number two of Pradas, the regional secretary Emilio Argüeso, who is charged in the cause.

Teleworking and communications problems

The emergency head has recognized in the Court that managed the validation of the message from his home because that day Teleworking. He has also said that he was informed that there were problems in telephone communications. « I connected remote, » he said. « They told me that it was possible to send a Esalert and that we were attentive, » added this worker who has been exercising for 25 years in 112, the Generalitat telephone service that on the day of the catastrophe registered almost 20,000 calls.

The command has reported that a test was done in May 2023 of the Esalert system and that the essay « worked. » And that, since then, « no more simulation was done, » despite the recommendation of a simulation per year. « Validating Esalert’s message is very fast, » he said. Pradas admitted that he did not know about the existence of this system until the flood night.

On the day of the Dana, according to the emergency command, there were 23 authorized operators to write the messages of Esalert. And, although he was warned at 18.36 hours of the possibility of sending the letter, the deputy director Suarez called him at 20.08 to confirm the notice that was finally sent to the phones of the province of Valencia three minutes later to report the overflow of the ravine of the Poyo, trigger for the tragedy.

The communications between the person in charge of validating the notice and the deputy director Suarez were marked by the incidents in the communications. « At 20.08 I receive a two -second call from Suárez, which was cut, and another followed from a fixed two minutes and 35 seconds, » he said. « There were communications problems, it could be short, » he added, according to sources present in the statement.

Asked if he had a direct thread with high positions of the Ministry of Justice and Interior, the department that managed the Dana, the person in charge has indicated that he maintained communication « with the technical manager who was the general deputy director (Suárez). »

The command is the second emergency worker who has declared in court that the Cecopi considered two alerts. A first, which was discarded, about the possible breakage of the Foraata dam – whose overflow could cause 20,000 dead – and the one that was finally sent to the phones on the risk of the Poyo ravine.

The emergency chief has reported these points during his appearance as a witness to the judge as a “validator” of the alert to the phones. The letter arrived at 8.11, when the deceased, missing and people trapped in low floors and garages accumulated.

By declaring as a witness, he is obliged to tell the truth. Otherwise, it runs the risk of being charged with false testimony. You also have to respond to all parties: judge, fiscal, defenses and lawyers of private and popular accusations.

This Thursday’s appearance adds to that of the Emergency Technician at the Generalitat who participated in the sending of the mass alert He declared, also as a witness, last week. The latter said that the former counselor Pradas told him « not to send anything until she gave her the approval. » A thesis that clashes with the defense strategy of the former leader to download responsibility in technicians.

On the other hand, José María Bueno, lawyer of Emilio Argües pseudosindicato Clean hands, which is appeared as a popular accusation. The judge asked the lawyer if this coincidence was compatible, since clean hands has asked « to exercise criminal actions » against Argüeso. « Do not be fooled by those you see on the Internet, look at reality, » says this lawyer in a writing. In this document, he acknowledges that he has worked for clean hands in cases such as David Sánchez, the brother of the president of the Government who is being investigated for his alleged irregular hiring in the Diputación de Badajoz.