King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia: ispaniya.com
Emotions in the affected cities
During a recent visit to Paiport, one of the most flood-hit municipalities in Spain, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia faced the wrath of local residents. Hundreds of people shouted insults at the royal couple, as well as at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the regional leader of Valencia, insulting them for their allegedly insufficient response to the disaster, which killed at least 214 people. According to the TimeUkraineIsrael news portal, citing The Guardian, the situation reflected a deep sense of neglect and discontent that gripped the devastated areas.
Photo: Manaure Quintero/AFP/Getty Images
Critical consequences of floods
The floods that have hit the region are considered the deadliest in Spain’s modern history, and the death toll continues to rise. The mayor of Aldaya, Guillermo Luján, called on the authorities to send urgent aid, saying: “We have a city in ruins. We need to start from scratch”. He stressed that the city urgently needs heavy equipment to clear blocked roads and restore order.
In Paiport, Mayor Maribel Albalat described the situation as “desperate”. She stressed that parts of the city are still inaccessible due to flooding. “It’s impossible because there are bodies, there are vehicles with bodies, and they need to be removed,” she said.
Volunteer support and official responses
In response to the disaster, thousands of volunteers from other parts of Spain came together to help the victims. People came with shovels, brooms and food, showing solidarity and humanity. The mayor of Chiva, Amparo Fort, spoke about the rollercoaster of emotions experienced by local residents: “You see sadness, which is logical given that we lost our town,” she said.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that 10,000 military and police would be deployed to help the victims. He acknowledged that aid was coming in slowly and admitted to existing problems with the response to the disaster: “I am aware that the response we are putting together is not enough. I know that”.
Natural factors and their impact
The heavy rains that caused the floods were caused by a phenomenon known as the gota fría or “cold drop”, where cold air moves over the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea, causing intense downpours. Experts warn that climate change could increase the frequency and intensity of such weather events.
Wrong response and consequences
The king’s official visit took place amid questions about why the warning was sent only after the floods had begun. The meteorological agency issued a red alert, but the civil protection service only warned people to stay at home when the water had already started to flood areas. Local residents such as Laura Villascusa believe that the delay in warnings led to more casualties: “If they had warned us, these deaths would not have happened.”
