Pilar Bernabé's and the Government Delegation's Mismanagement in the Dana

The management of the Government Delegate, Pilar Bernabé, during the DANA that hit the province of Valencia last October has come under scrutiny following the disclosure of messages from the head of Climatology at the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), José Ángel Núñez, which reveal the lack of alert about the overflow of the Poyo ravine, the main cause of the catastrophe with 224 dead and three missing.

The communications released show that the Cecopi (Integrated Operational Coordination Center) focused exclusively on the Forata dam and the Magro river, leaving out any mention of the Poyo ravine, despite its danger. This omission puts the Government Delegate and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Hugo Morán, on the ropes, whose initial versions pointed to proper coordination between the different administrations.

The Government Delegate's own statements made on the morning of October 29, after a meeting with all the entities and state bodies to analyze the DANA situation, corroborate the lack of coordination. Bernabé assured that "we will be alert to the areas affected by floods. The Júcar Confederation has absolutely all the spaces monitored," a statement now dismantled by the lack of surveillance over the Poyo ravine, which accumulated a flow equivalent to four times that of the Ebro river without any alert being issued.

At 11:30 a.m. that same morning, Bernabé again declared to the media that "the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation is on the ground in the especially complicated areas," but at no time did she refer to the Poyo ravine, which by then was already beginning to overflow without anyone noticing. Additionally, the delegate pointed out that special attention was being paid to the Ribera Alta and other areas that were not the most affected, completely ignoring the threat in the region of l'Horta Sud and l'Hoya de Buñol.

The omission by the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation, which was supposed to monitor the flows and alert of the risks, has been made evident with the messages provided by Aemet and Bernabé's own statements. If, as the delegate stated, "the confederation has absolutely all the spaces monitored," why was no alert issued about the Poyo ravine for more than two and a half hours?

Moreover, Bernabé sent a message of reassurance to the public, assuring that "all the forces are prepared, alert, and working in a coordinated manner," while the catastrophe was brewing without anyone warning of the imminent danger.

The lack of foresight also extends to the suspension of the AVE service, which was not decided until after 7:00 p.m., when the episode had already triggered an unprecedented tragedy. The inability of the Government Delegation to manage the emergency has caused a wave of outrage among the victims' families and the public.

 The Government Delegate, Pilar Bernabé, now faces increasing pressure to assume the political consequences of a management marked by lack of coordination and opacity.