1 of 2 | Spain’s King Felipe on Sunday visited the province of Valencia where a crowd of angry citizens tossed eggs and mud and shouted insults at the royal family and other officials. Photo by Biel Alino/EPA-EFE
Nov. 3 (UPI) — Angry protestors hurled eggs and mud at Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia as the couple toured the Valencia region of the country, where at least 200 people are dead following devastating flooding.
The King was greeted with boos and chants of “murderer” when he arrived in Paiporta, just outside of Valencia city, CNN reported.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and regional governor Carlos Mazon accompanied them. The officials have received criticism for a slow response to the historic flooding and humanitarian disaster that has followed.
When the officials posed for a photo, the crowd began hurling insults at them, prompting security guards to open umbrellas to protect the officials from projectiles.
At one point, the king lowered his umbrella to hear from a local person affected by the historic flooding as police struggled to contain the angry crowd of locals. Queen Letizia also spoke with residents and seemed visibly shaken, holding her head in her hands.
Sanchez’s office said he was taken away due to security protocol. Mazon also reportedly left the area.
The King and Queen stayed behind. They embraced distraught members of the crowd, kissing them on the head and offering assurances of help, videos posted by the Spanish Royal Family show.
Felipe’s jacket appeared spotted with mud. Letizia took women’s hands in hers, hugged locals and offered support.
The national response to the historic flooding has been criticized as slow and uncoordinated, which has infuriated many in Valencia. Text alerts came hours after warnings of flooding from the weather service, they said.
Sanchez, who on Saturday ordered 5,000 additional troops to help with salvage efforts in flooded areas, called the storm the “worst natural disaster” in the county’s history, and admitted that the initial response was “not enough.”
At least 214 people are now confirmed dead from the floods and the toll may climb higher. A 70-year-old woman is among the latest victims. Her body was found more than seven miles from her house.
Sunday, the Spanish Weather Agency issued a new, red level weather alert in the coastal Valencia area in advance of more expected rain. Local police were going through the streets of Aldaia in eastern Spain advising residents through megaphones to go home and avoid the areas next to the local ravine.
Aldaia mayor Guillermo Lujan urged residents in social media posts to leave their places of work, advising them to get out of the streets due to the latest alert.
Further south, the Murcia regional government sent an SMS alert telling Mazarrón residents to avoid certain areas as the latest round of rain is forcing water levels to rise.