The arrival of the DANA in Spain, particularly in the Valencia region, was widely anticipated in the days before the event. Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) had been issuing warnings as early as Wednesday, October 23, when, at 19:02, it reported that “a cold air pocket will detach from the general circulation, leading to the formation of a DANA,” though it was still too early to precisely pinpoint the areas of greatest impact. In the days following, AEMET continued updating its alerts, stressing the intensity of the expected rains along the Mediterranean arc and urging the public to stay informed about local forecasts.
En los próximos días, un embolsamiento de aire frío quedará aislado de la circulación general, dando lugar a la formación de una dana.
Se acercará a nuestro entorno, con lluvias y chubascos a partir del sábado, aunque con incertidumbre aún sobre las zonas con mayor probabilidad. pic.twitter.com/z6SIT72Dbo— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) October 23, 2024
At 11:17 a.m. on Thursday, October 25, Juan Jesús González Alemán, PhD in Physics and Senior Meteorologist at AEMET, posted a message on social media where he warned that this DANA, due to its characteristics and behavior, “has high potential to enter the category of high-impact events; one that will be remembered on the Mediterranean side.” His post quickly went viral, both for its urgent tone and for the skepticism that some expressed regarding the accuracy of his predictions—predictions that would soon prove correct.
Si todo sigue tal y como prevén los modelos meteorológicos durante los próximos 5 días, esta DANA, por sus características y comportamiento, tiene mucho potencial de entrar en el grupo de las de alto impacto.
De las que pueden serán recordadas en la vertiente mediterránea. pic.twitter.com/oT8vcmCPYV
— Dr JJ González Alemán (@glezjuanje) October 25, 2024
That same day, October 25, AEMET continued to warn about the approaching DANA, noting that “rains along the Mediterranean slope could be very heavy.”
⚠️ La formación de una dana, que permanecerá en nuestro entorno durante los próximos días, dará lugar a lluvias generalizadas en la Península y Baleares. En la vertiente mediterránea podrán ser muy fuertes.
Nota informativa con más detalles👉
🔗https://t.co/gJyzu6X8eJ pic.twitter.com/6qUiqwPrSY— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) October 25, 2024
Media outlets began to widely share this information, and by Sunday, October 27, they were already announcing torrential rains in Valencia and Murcia, anticipating the storm’s impact.
As the DANA neared, various entities, including the Emergency Coordination Center 112 in Valencia, the National Civil Protection Service, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Ecological Transition, and the Castellón Fire Department, echoed the warnings.
🌧️Amanecemos con un domingo lluvioso en muchos puntos de la Comunitat Valenciana.
☔️Según las previsiones d’@AEMET_CValencia, se presenta un final e inicio de semana (especialmente martes y miércoles) con precipitaciones intensas, extensas y persistentes.
⛈️Ante la previsión de… pic.twitter.com/gSBNxRN6ut
— Emergències 112CV (@GVA112) October 27, 2024
Through social media and news outlets, they urged people to avoid driving and to check if their homes were located in flood-prone areas. Risk maps were even provided to help people make informed decisions.
🚨Protégete de las lluvias intensas🌧️
⚠️No cruces ríos ni calles inundadas
🚗Evita conducir. De hacerlo usa las vías principales
🔌Desconecta la luz y gas, si estás en zona inundada
📲Sigue indicaciones oficiales y mantente informado¡Tu seguridad es lo primero! @interiorgob pic.twitter.com/b7ZKcz66oz
— Protección Civil (@proteccioncivil) October 28, 2024
Despite these warnings, preventive measures at the local and regional government levels were limited. Although on October 29 some activities were suspended at the Port of Valencia and in certain schools in the Valencia region, a comprehensive school closure was not enacted, nor was a maximum alert issued to halt activity in the area entirely.
⚠️Actualització 07.30 hores. pic.twitter.com/0L5Ny82ybr
— GVA Educació (@GVAeducacio) October 29, 2024
The warnings in the media seemed not to align with practical measures, leading to public confusion about the severity of the phenomenon. This lack of precautionary measures drew criticism in the aftermath, with citizens questioning whether more could have been done to prevent the tragedy.
Photo credit: NASA / Kike Taberner
This article was prepared by our Fixer in Spain team, seeking to clarify whether authorities were adequately informed of the DANA and if more preventive measures could have mitigated the impact.
