Catarroja judge resumes DANA flood investigation

The judge investigating the management of the DANA weather phenomenon in the Catarroja court has resumed judicial proceedings and witness testimonies. The investigation is currently evaluating whether to increase the official death toll from 232 to 240, as eight cases remain open pending forensic determinations to confirm if the deaths were directly caused by the floods.

In a recent ruling, the magistrate rejected requests from the defense of former regional officials Salomé Pradas and Emilio Argüeso to compel the disclosure of personal mobile phone messages and call logs from Pilar Bernabé, the Government Delegate in the Valencian Community, dated October 29, 2024. The judge maintained that any provision of communications from Bernabé or Miguel Polo, President of the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation, must remain strictly voluntary, noting that neither individual is a formal party to the criminal proceedings.

The court has requested a six-month extension for the investigation, which is set to continue with upcoming testimonies from forest firefighters and regional officials.