Valencia, Spain, on the 3rd (local time). EPAYonhap News” fetchpriority=”high”/>
King Philip VI (center) is avoiding mud thrown by residents during a visit to flood-damaged Valencia, Spain, on the 3rd (local time). EPAYonhap News
On the 31st of last month (local time), vehicles swept away by floods are piled up on the road in Valencia, Spain. The death toll from the worst flooding to hit southeastern Spain has so far risen to 158. AP News
[파이낸셜뉴스] In Spain, where the worst flood disaster occurred, the King and Queen of Spain were pelted with mud and curses by angry flood victims while visiting the affected area.
According to AFP and EFE news agencies on the 3rd (local time), King Felipe VI visited Paiporta, Valencia, where at least 62 people died from the flood, along with Queen Letizia, Prime Minister Sánchez, and Valencia Governor Carlos Masson.
Angry residents surrounded King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Sánchez’s group as they walked through the affected area, throwing mud and dirt and swearing, “murderers,” “shame,” and “get out of here.”
A video of a young man shouting to the king, “The country’s response to this flood is shameful,” was released online.
The bodyguards quickly covered them with umbrellas to protect them, but King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia could not avoid the humiliation of getting mud on their faces and clothes.
King Felipe VI stayed longer than the rest of the group and appeared to be attempting to comfort the residents, but he shortened the time and ended his visit in a hurry, AFP reported. Following Paiporta, visits to other flood-damaged areas were also canceled.
It is said that the Spanish royal family cares a lot about their public image and rarely throw objects or swear at the king.
Spanish broadcaster RTVE reported that the objects thrown by the crowd on this day were a mixture of rocks and hard objects, and that two security guards were injured and received treatment. Additionally, Prime Minister Sánchez’s car window was reportedly broken.
King Felipe VI later said on social media, “We must understand the anger and frustration of the victims,” and “We must give the victims hope and assurance that the country is intact.”
The reason why residents are so angry at the king and government is because they believe that the flood damage is due to the authorities’ lax response.
In Spain, it was reported on the 3rd that at least 217 people died due to the sudden heavy rain that fell on the 29th of last month.
Dozens of people are still unknown, and about 3,000 households are still experiencing power outages.
Criticism is growing that the authorities’ inadequate response increased the number of casualties, as it took more than 10 hours from the Spanish Meteorological Administration to issue a ‘red warning’ for heavy rain until an emergency disaster safety message was sent to local residents, and that subsequent search and recovery work was slow. .
The British Guardian reported, “It is Spain’s worst flood since heavy rains in 1973, which killed at least 150 people.”
moon@fnnews.com Reporter Moon Young-jin
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