Two years after the DANA that devastated dozens of Valencian municipalities, the families of the 233 deceased people are still waiting for answers regarding the management of the emergency. Many streets and services have been repaired, but there are still damaged homes, pending aid, and large flood protection works that have not been carried out.
The then president of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, maintains his seat in Les Corts almost a year after resigning. His absence during the afternoon hours of October 29, 2024, the delay of the mobile alert, and the versions he offered afterward remain at the center of the victims' claims.
That day, Mazón had lunch at the El Ventorro restaurant in Valencia with journalist Maribel Vilaplana while the situation worsened in municipalities in the province. The first mass alert to phones was sent at 8:11 PM. By then, water had already entered numerous towns with force, and emergency services were receiving thousands of calls.
The former president arrived at the Integrated Operational Coordination Center, the body from which the emergency was directed, at 8:28 PM. His defense argues that he was not responsible for drafting or sending the alert and rejects that a causal relationship between the delay and the deaths has been accredited.
Mazón remains a deputy and the DANA case remains open
The judge of Catarroja investigating the emergency management asked the High Court of Justice of the Comunitat Valenciana in February to investigate Mazón. The instructing judge found evidence of possible serious negligence and focused on his absence from decision-making centers for hours while the flood advanced.
The high court refused to open an investigation against him in March and confirmed that decision in April. The magistrates considered that the facts presented did not offer sufficient evidence to attribute a crime to him. Mazón is immune due to his status as a deputy, so it is up to that court to decide on his eventual criminal investigation.
The former president's legal situation is different from that of other officials in his government. In the Catarroja case, the former Minister of Emergencies Salomé Pradas and the former regional secretary of the area, Emilio Argüeso, are still under investigation for the management of that day. The investigation has been extended until April 2027 to carry out pending proceedings.
Among them are the efforts to try to recover communications from José Manuel Cuenca, then Mazón's chief of staff. The judge is also examining the warnings received, the decisions made during the emergency, and the circumstances of the deaths. There is still no definitive resolution on criminal responsibilities.
The main victims' associations maintain their criticism of Mazón's management and demand that he also relinquish his seat as a deputy. The former president, who left the Presidency of the Generalitat on November 4, 2025, has defended his actions and relied on the decision of the superior court that refused to investigate him.
Repairs advance, but work is still needed to prevent floods
In the affected municipalities, streets, services, and part of the economic activity have been recovered. Difficulties also persist within some homes and businesses. In the Bechinos neighborhood, in Chiva, several houses are still in ruins or awaiting demolition; the City Council estimates that about thirty buildings will have to be demolished.
The Júcar Hydrographic Confederation reported in July that it had completed 17 emergency works, with an investment exceeding 220 million euros, to repair damaged riverbeds and infrastructure. The works have mainly extended through Valencia and have also included affected areas in other provinces.
Among the actions are interventions in the Magro river, the Forata dam, and the Turia. These are repairs that seek to restore the capacity of the riverbeds and improve the protection of their surroundings. At the same time, larger-scale works to reduce the risk of flooding are still in different stages of preparation.
The agency is working on projects for the basins of the Poyo ravine, the Magro, and the Pozalet-La Saleta system. Among the planned actions is an outlet for the waters of La Saleta towards the new Turia riverbed, which aims to reduce the risk in municipalities such as Aldaia and Alaquàs. The processing and execution of these projects will extend over the next few years.
Recovery also continues away from the construction sites. Cáritas Valencia has assisted 25,979 affected people during these two years and has allocated aid for basic needs, housing, businesses, and mobility. The entity now maintains community and emotional support programs in the municipalities hit by the flood.
