A furious mob hurled mud and insults at the king and queen of Spain, as the royal couple toured a town that’s been devastated by unprecedented and deadly flooding.
The death toll from last week’s disaster has climbed to 217, with some 70 people killed in Paiporta in the eastern region of Valencia. An estimated 1900 people are missing.
Spain’s meteorological authority issued a red alert overnight, warning of more heavy rain over coming days, as rescue workers continue an increasingly hopeless search for survivors.
Firefighters dig up the wreckage of car buried on a riverbank in Paiporta in search of victims. Picture: AFP
Debris cleared from flooded homes seen piled up in a street in Sedavi, in the region of Valencia. Picture: AFP
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia arrived in Paiporta on Sunday local time, accompanied by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, when a crowd of hundreds descended.
They threw mud, rocks, sticks and bits of rubbish at the group while screaming “murderer” and “shame”, although it appeared much of the vitriol was directed as the Spanish leader.
The royals were struck, with vision showing the couple’s faces and clothing dirtied with mud.
King Felipe was confronted by a local as some in a heaving crowd of protesters hurled mud. Picture: AFP
A visibly shaken Queen Letizia was heckled by the mob. Picture: AFP
“It’s been four days, where have you been?” one onlooker yelled at the king. “You’ve just come here to pose for pictures. You have no shame.”
Another screamed at a visibly frightened Queen Letizia: “You lack for nothing while we here don’t even have water to drink.”
Two royal bodyguards were injured, with one pictured with a bloodied head after being hit with a heavy projectile.
A furious mob hurled mud and insults at the king and queen of Spain, as the royal couple toured a town that’s been devastated by unprecedented and deadly flooding.
The death toll from last week’s disaster has climbed to 217, with some 70 people killed in Paiporta in the eastern region of Valencia. An estimated 1900 people are missing.
Spain’s meteorological authority issued a red alert overnight, warning of more heavy rain over coming days, as rescue workers continue an increasingly hopeless search for survivors.
Firefighters dig up the wreckage of car buried on a riverbank in Paiporta in search of victims. Picture: AFP
Debris cleared from flooded homes seen piled up in a street in Sedavi, in the region of Valencia. Picture: AFP
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia arrived in Paiporta on Sunday local time, accompanied by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, when a crowd of hundreds descended.
They threw mud, rocks, sticks and bits of rubbish at the group while screaming “murderer” and “shame”, although it appeared much of the vitriol was directed as the Spanish leader.
The royals were struck, with vision showing the couple’s faces and clothing dirtied with mud.
King Felipe was confronted by a local as some in a heaving crowd of protesters hurled mud. Picture: AFP
A visibly shaken Queen Letizia was heckled by the mob. Picture: AFP
“It’s been four days, where have you been?” one onlooker yelled at the king. “You’ve just come here to pose for pictures. You have no shame.”
Another screamed at a visibly frightened Queen Letizia: “You lack for nothing while we here don’t even have water to drink.”
Two royal bodyguards were injured, with one pictured with a bloodied head after being hit with a heavy projectile.
Mud, rocks, bottles and other projectiles were hurled at the group. Picture: AFP
Security tried to disperse the crowd as the royals were mobbed. Picture: AFP
According to reports, security tried to whisk the royals away to safety but King Felipe insisted they stay and continue speaking with those who wanted to.
He and Queen Letizia were later seen consoling survivors, with one man crying on the king’s shoulder. Associated Press reported she was seen sobbing after meeting a local woman.
As they eventually got into their car to leave, a policeman shouted “long live the king”, which was met with howls of “guillotine” by some of the protesters.
In a statement issued by the palace hours after the melee, it was announced a second visit by the king to nearby Chiva, another flood-affected town, had been called off.
Later in the day, in a video posted on the royal family’s Instagram’s account, the king said he understood the “anger and frustration” shown.
Queen Letizia broke down in tears while comforting a local survivor of the devastating floods. Picture: AP
Mr Sanchez is facing growing calls to resign over the government’s handling of the emergency response, as well as criticism over failed early warning systems.
“What were they expecting?” an onlooker told the newspaper El Pais. “People are very angry. Pedro Sanchez should have been here on day one with a shovel.”
As tensions grew, Mr Sanchez fled in a vehicle accompanied by staff and security, prompting the crowd to chant: “Where is Sanchez?”
Police, some on horses, attempted to disperse protesters.
The sheer extent of the devastation has left Spain reeling. Picture: AFP
“I’m just 16,” a crying boy named Pau told the BBC. “We’re helping and the leaders do nothing. People are still dying. I can’t stand this anymore.”
Another woman said: “They left us to die. We’ve lost everything: our businesses, our homes, our dreams.”
Juan Bordera, a local politician in Valencia, told the BBC that the king and queen’s tour was a “very bad decision”.
“It’s logical that the people are angry, it’s logical that the people didn’t understand why this visit is so urgent,” Mr Bordera told the broadcaster.
Firefighters clear debris in Paiporta. Picture: AFP
The sheer extent of devastation has left Spain reeling.
After unrelenting rainfall, flash flooding began affecting countless areas on Tuesday, sparking bridge collapses, leaving much of Valencia without electricity and running water, and coating many towns in thick mud.
“The floods had already hit Paiporta when the regional officials issued an alert to mobile phones. It sounded two hours too late,” AP reported.
A child holds a soft toy as he walks on a muddy street in Paiporta. Picture: AFP
As rescue workers search waterways, flooded underground car parks and basements, and the wreckages of vehicles, it’s expected the death toll will climb further.
At the weekend, Mr Sanchez deployed an additional 10,000 troops, civil guards and police to the region to assist in recovery efforts.
It marks the largest peacetime military assembly in history, although the prime minister conceded it was “not enough”.
“I want to express all my government’s solidarity and its acknowledgment of the anguish, suffering, uncertainty and the needs of the residents of Paiporta and the region of Valencia,” he said.
Carlos Mazon, the regional leader of Valencia, was with the royals and the PM on Sunday and took to X, formerly Twitter, afterwards.
Mr Mazon said he understood the “indignation” and it was his “political and moral obligation” to cop it.
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