Valencia DANA death toll rises to 233 following judicial ruling

A judge investigating the management of the October 29, 2024, DANA floods in Valencia has increased the official death toll to 233. The update follows the recognition of a resident from Catarroja who died on November 28 at Hospital La Fe. The magistrate established a “relación de causalidad” (causal relationship) between a fall caused by water rushing into her home during the flood and her subsequent death from an intracranial hemorrhage.

The investigation into the disaster's management continues, with various legal and social developments. In Pedralba, the mayor testified that the Es-Alert system did not reach residents on the day of the disaster, forcing officials to warn neighbors door-to-door. Meanwhile, victim associations have held demonstrations in Alicante, calling for the removal of the immunity of the President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón.

Separate legal battles are also unfolding regarding worker safety. The family of Luis Ángel Sáiz, a worker killed while caught in traffic on the A-3 highway, is seeking to reopen a case against his employer. Labor inspectors had previously identified serious negligence, noting that the company failed to inform the worker of imminent risks despite red weather alerts, though the regional government had previously set aside proposed sanctions.