The Head of Climatology of the State Meteorology Agency in the Valencian Community, José Ángel Núñezhe said that “there were enough indications that the situation was very serious” the morning of October 29 – not only because of meteorological prediction – but for what was happening during that morning.
This has been assured in an interview, in which he has stated that “the severity of the situation” because “was not valued enough of the 29th,” because “no measure was taken to be prepared for what could come in the afternoon. “He says that at the time the meeting of the Integrated Operational Cooperation Center (Cecopi) was convened to manage the emergency – at 5:00 p.m. -” it was already too late. ”
“It had to have been summoned before, in the morning. There was nothing to convene it,” added Núñez, for whom “it is clear that There were sufficient indicationsnot only because of the meteorological prediction, but for what was happening that morning, that the situation was very serious. “” If the meeting is called when half province of Valencia flooded is already flooded, Decisions are behind the rains and water“He said.
Warnings in the middle of chaos
Núñez explained that the First red notice It arrived shortly after 07.30h, detailing that a certain rainfall threshold was going to be overcome, in the case of the Valencian Community, it was agreed for 17 years that it was 180 liters per square meter in 12 hours.
“It does not mean that it is going to rain 180 l/m2; it means that this amount will be exceeded and when it is exceeded, the red notice is established, which implies that the risk is extreme and that very serious or catastrophic damage can occur that affect goods or people,” he explained.
Núñez has recognized that he was counting for WhatsApp what happened to the territorial delegate and the president of the Aemet “so that they in turn inform authorities” and “were Informing how the meteorological situation was“. He has stressed that in the Cecopi, he had” a clear mission of weather advice and provide meteorological data “when it was required, in such a way that in his first intervention, about 17.40h, he said that” torrential rains were occurring in the west of the metropolitan area of Valencia “and in other areas of the interior of the province.
“There were more than enough indications to take action. Not only because of the red warning, “he reiterated, ensuring that the red notices are” very rare “and that Aemet’s X account at 08: 45h already hung a video with the current by dragging cars in Catadau.
He says that “all the media in the morning transmitted that the situation was already very serious in villages of La Ribera”, and recalled that institutions such as the University of Valencia and some mayors suspended the classes, while the City Council convened the Cecopal in the morning, its Emergency Management Organ.
“I didn’t see leadership”
He also recalled that shortly before 7pm he said in a message that the Cecopi had an hour suspended “to reflect” and the 19.20h received the video that went viral from the Picanya catwalk falling: “That means that At 7 pm it was too late“
When the Cecopi resumed several options for the text of the ES-ALErt message, such as confinement, prevent mobility or the possibility of making some evacuation, although “the technicians in the meeting were making a description” and someone had to “synthesize all that information and lead the meeting”, something that, in their opinion, did not happen.
“I I didn’t see leadership at that meeting or in any of those of later. In a catastrophic situation there must be a very visible head, which is the one that has the emergency command, “he added. Núñez explained that All the information that Aemet has given throughout the catastrophe “has been transparent”it is saved and you can access it. “We have already gathered everything to send it to the number 3 Court of Catarroja and we are willing to go to declare where they quote us and tell what happened,” he added.
He has assured that “it is not pleasant” that they accuse Aemet of a “failed prediction”, because in his opinion what was there was “A misinterpretation of what a notice means”
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