Valencian TV À Punt warned of Poyo ravine flood ahead of emergency alerts

On the evening of 29 October 2024, heavy rains caused the Poyo ravine in the Valencia region to burst, contributing to a flash‑flood that killed 231 people. Journalists from the regional public broadcaster À Punt said their meteorologists had foreseen the danger days earlier, warning that “los barrancos van a desbordarse, sobre todo el del Poyo” and that “se van a desbordar los barrancos y no tenemos a nadie para ir a cubrir esto.”

According to testimony given by reporter Paco Miguel before a judge on 15 July, the broadcaster alerted the regional emergency coordination centre (Cecopi) while its warnings went unheeded. The Cecopi, chaired by President Carlos Mazón, activated the mass‑alert system (Es‑Alert) only after water was already covering buildings in Catarroja. The discrepancy has intensified criticism of the Mazón administration and highlights a chain of failures in the regional emergency response.