Critical care during natural disasters: ICU insights from Valencia's October 2024 floods.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of the October 29, 2024 DANA-related floods on Intensive Care Unit (ICU) operations and patient care in the Valencia region. This study aims to characterize the clinical profiles, logistical pathways, and outcomes of patients requiring intensive care during the month following the flood event

DESIGN

Multicenter prospective observational study.

SETTING

Nine intensive care units in the Valencia region from October 29 to November 30, 2024.

PATIENTS OR

PARTICIPANTS

All ICU admissions prospectively identified as being influenced by the DANA event using a predefined checklist INTERVENTIONS: None.

MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Demographic and clinical data, ICU management, length of stay, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients were included and classified as direct (15.4%) or indirect victims (84.6%). Median age was 60 years, and most had chronic comorbidities. ICU admission causes included acute cardiac events, trauma, infections, and worsening of chronic conditions due to treatment disruptions. Delays in diagnosis or transportation were reported in over 50% of cases. The median ICU stay was 3 days, with 15.4% mortality rate. ICU capacity remained sufficient throughout the event, and no surge-capacity plans were activated.

CONCLUSION

The ICU burden during the DANA event was predominantly due to indirect health effects, especially in vulnerable populations with chronic diseases. Disaster preparedness strategies must prioritize continuity of care and address logistical barriers to reduce avoidable critical care admissions and mortality.