King Felipe VI of Spain and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the flood-ravaged town of Paiporta, located in the province of Valencia, on Sunday. Their presence caused a violent reaction from the residents, who started throwing mud at them.
On Sunday, King Philip VI and his wife Letitia visited the flood-affected areas. They were accompanied by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the head of the regional authorities, Carlos Mazon. Their presence caused a violent reaction from the inhabitants of Paiporta, and mud and accusations were thrown at the royal couple and politicians. “Get out!”, “Murderers!” – shouted the angry residents. Anger has been building in local communities for several days, primarily over the lack of adequate warnings against violence storms and floods that turned streets, including in Paiporta, into raging rivers, resulting in dozens of victims.
In flood-affected areas, mud was thrown at the King of SpainReuters
Red warnings
While Sanchez quickly left the venue, the royal couple and Mazon tried to talk to the injured, media reports. According to the latest government data, the death toll from the flash floods that have swept through the east and south of the country in recent days is 214, mainly in the province of Valencia. Three victims were reported in the Castile-La Mancha region and one in Andalusia in southern Spain. Although the number of victims has recently stopped growing rapidly, there are still places, such as underground parking lots, garages and basements, where bodies may be found, Transport Minister Oscar Puente said on the X website. The authorities inform about the gradual restoration of electricity supplies and the opening of roads and railway connections. Emergency services, the army and thousands of volunteers are involved in cleaning up places affected by water and mud. The state meteorological agency (AEMET) issued a red weather alert on Sunday for the province of Almeria in Andalusia in southeastern Spain, and orange and yellow alerts for areas along the country's eastern coast. “The danger is extreme! Do not travel unless absolutely necessary!” – warns the agency.
DANA phenomenon
Violent storms, floods and flooding are the result of an atmospheric phenomenon known in Spain as DANA (depression aislada en niveles altos). It forms when cold air meets warm and moist air over the Mediterranean Sea, leading to extreme weather events such as storms, tornadoes and floods. Experts believe that this is the result of global climate change, as well as inappropriate land development in Valencia, including the construction of buildings in flood areas. The Spanish coast is particularly vulnerable to this type of phenomena.