“The red notice means a danger to the population.” The meteorological services of Valencian public radio and television in Punt warned early in the morning of torrential rains and the risk of flooding and overflowing of ravines and ravines. Public television meteorologists point out that with the information available in real time, the disaster could have been avoided. “We cannot avoid DANA, but we have ways to prevent people from leaving their homes,” explains Victoria Rosselló, meteorologist and presenter of À Punt, the Valencian public radio and television.
Meteorological information services constitute an essential space for raising public awareness of the risks of atmospheric phenomena. Professionals wonder how, at a time when there is real-time information, which can be consulted directly without intermediation, the notice has not reached the population. “Knowing how they knew it, they could not alert the population,” Rosselló continued in an interview with Notícies del Matí of the public television where he works.
The meteorologist considers that Aemet has a questionable alert policy, “but we have been on red notice all morning”. And this warning means that there is a danger for the population. “We knew that more than 400 liters had fallen at the head of the rivers in the morning and that all of this would go to the Rambla del Poyo”, also called the Chiva ravine, the artificial canal which overflowed and caused flooding in the region of ‘Horta South. Through Picanya, Paiporta, Massanassa and Catarroja, it dragged everything it found in its path through Sedaví, while at the same time the V-30 highway became a river next to the new Túria canal.
In the space dedicated to weather information on the midday news, this doctor of physics emphasizes that the population has been warned not to leave their homes. “At 3 p.m. and all morning, we said that we should not leave the house,” he emphasizes. “The Rambla del Poyo experienced a rise of 2,000 cubic meters per second, at six o’clock in the afternoon, four times the normal flow of the Ebro,” explains the presenter, trying to illustrate the tsunami whose he announced the alert. The official alarm from the Generalitat Valenciana occurred after 8 p.m. “We have means and tools with which this cannot happen. “Avamet is accessible to everyone,” he continues during the interview.
Rosselló’s diagnosis coincides with that of José Ángel Núñez, director of climatology of Aemet of the Valencian Community, who, in an interview with elDiario.es, asks to reflect on alert mechanisms: “Many victims were in areas where there was little or no rain, which could create a false sense of security as torrential rains fell upstream. » “There was no feeling of risk and it was extreme, the feeling of risk did not arise and that should make us think,” he underlines.
The Aemet website indicates that with the red level “the meteorological risk is extreme (unusual weather phenomena, of exceptional intensity and with a very high level of risk for the population)”. “Recommendation: Take preventive measures and act according to the instructions of the authorities. Stay informed with the latest weather forecasts. Normal activities may be seriously disrupted. “Do not travel unless strictly necessary.”
