Catarroja (Valencia) (EFE).- This Friday, Alberto Martín Moratilla, the General Director of Emergencies of the Generalitat, testified in the trial examining the management of the dana (a type of severe weather event). He indicated that when the Cecopi (the emergency coordination centre) became aware of the danger at the Forata dam, the possibility of evacuating the at-risk municipalities was considered, but it was decided not to do so to prevent panic. Martín Moratilla stated that it was the councillor Salomé Pradas who suggested the evacuation, but that José Miguel Basset, who was in charge of the firefighters, deemed it was not a good option and that it could generate panic, hence the decision was made not to implement the proposal. Regarding the Es-Alert message, Martín Moratilla mentioned that it was not contemplated until 19:00 hours. He also noted that there were suggestions for warnings to the mayors, but not an Es-Alert. This testimony conflicts with those presented by other members of the Cecopi, including Basset, who claimed that at 18:13 hours he opened a text document and suggested a draft for the Es-Alert message, the only one considered that day. Martín Moratilla indicated that the final approval for the message sent to the community at 20:11 on 29 October 2024 was granted by Salomé Pradas, although the decision was taken jointly.
A former senior official in the Dana says that the evacuation was ruled out to avoid «a stampede.»
