Valencia emergency coordination falters as Forata dam collapse risk rises

Ignacio Grande, the former secretary of Social Services for the Generalitat Valenciana, testified before a judge about the Cecopi (Integrated Operational Coordination Centre) meeting held on 29 October during the severe DANA storm that devastated the province of Valencia. He said the meeting, which he joined remotely, became increasingly chaotic after the possible collapse of the Forata dam was raised, marking a "point of inflection" that disrupted the flow of information.

Grande recounted that the discussion also covered municipalities near the Poyo ravine—specifically Chiva and Ribarroja—as the floodwaters turned the Horta Sud area into a disaster zone with 231 deaths province‑wide. He noted that the regional minister of Social Services, Susana Camarero, left the meeting after about 40 minutes to attend a business awards ceremony, while he remained to monitor the situation at an Alborache centre housing 80 minors. The session included several short and extended recesses, during which officials considered emergency measures such as confinement orders and radio alerts for the 30 affected municipalities. By the evening, the coordination effort was described as tense and “out of control.”