Valencia is once again facing floods with a massive alert that arrived when the storm had already caused significant damage and mobility problems. The Emergency Coordination Center sent an ES-Alert message at 10:08 PM on Wednesday to phones in the province of Valencia to warn of the risk of flooding and ask citizens to avoid travel, stay away from riverbeds and ravines, and go to upper floors if the water level rose.
By then, the downpour had already caused floods in streets and ground floors, interruptions in several Metrovalencia lines, the temporary closure of Manises airport, and the suspension of the match between Levante and Athletic Club. Accumulations of 85 liters per square meter had also been recorded in l'Eliana, 76.2 in Torrent, and 73.6 in Chiva.
The Generalitat had activated situation 1 of the Special Flood Plan and the yellow level hydrological pre-emergency in areas such as Carraixet-Calderona, Bajo Túria, and the Poyo-Saleta ravines. Emergencies also urged the affected basin municipalities to activate their municipal plans and asked the involved organizations to reinforce vigilance and coordination with the Emergency Coordination Center.
The episode reopens a particularly sensitive question in the Valencian Community: what has changed since the DANA of October 29, 2024? The areas of the Poyo and Saleta ravines were among the most affected by those floods, which left 232 fatalities in the province of Valencia, according to the figure currently in the judicial case
NO HEMOS APRENDIDO NADA 😡
— Adrián Pastor (@BB3Adri) September 16, 2026
Así va el caudal en Paiporta. Centenares de usuarios han denunciado en redes que el ES Alert ha vuelto a llegar tarde, concretamente una hora tras la tempestad que asoló la región y con calles inundadas. pic.twitter.com/CtgGPNoTyE
The comparison does not allow for an automatic equation of both episodes. Wednesday's storm has not left a death toll like that of 2024. But it does once again put the focus on the anticipation of alerts and on the ability of administrations to convey clear instructions to the population before roads, transport, and ground floors are flooded.
The judge of Catarroja investigating the management of the DANA has extended the investigation by six months due to the "great complexity" and "extreme gravity" of the case. The extension will begin on October 30, 2026, and will allow for continued testimony from victims and witnesses, analysis of documentation, and study of new elements related to the circumstances of the deaths.
The investigation examines possible crimes of homicide and injuries due to negligence and has three people under investigation, in addition to dozens of private prosecutions, according to information published about the procedure. The magistrate has also agreed to retrieve WhatsApp and Telegram messages from the former chief of staff of the then president Carlos Mazón related to authorized contacts during the emergency of October 29. In this context, almost two years later, the question remains whether administrations have learned from that tragedy or if the population again receives the warning when the flood has already begun.
