CSN News: Judge orders emergency chiefs sacked to explain why Valencia flood warnings were sent so late.

Two former Valencia emergency team bosses will be required to explain why an alert for the flood on October 29 was not sent sooner.

Salome Parades (ex-emergencies Minister) and Emilio Argueso (former emergencies chief), have both been ordered to appear before a Catarroja court.

In response to criticism directed at both of them and him for their poor response following the October 29th floods, Valencian President Carlos Mazon dismissed both within a few weeks.

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Judge Nuria Rz Tobarra will investigate any possible criminality in relation to the disaster and the sending of the late alert at 8.11pm.

A person or several people may be charged with reckless homicide.

Tobarra described the alert as ‘late and erroneous’- pointing out extensive media coverage throughout the day of the flooding and institutions like the University of Valencia cancelling classes.

The judge said the State Meteorological Agency(Aemet) had produced multiple forecasts and what happened that day was ‘not an unforeseen weather phenomenon’.

Those forecasts, according to the judge, should have led to a morning meeting of the Integrated Operational Coordination Centre (Cecopi) ‘in order at least to warn the population’.

Judge Tobarra also received a document that showed over 15,000 calls were made to the emergency number 112 before the 8:11pm alert was issued.