VALENCIA, Spain (AP) — Spain commemorated Wednesday the anniversary of last year’s massive floods that killed over 230 people with a national memorial ceremony led by King Felipe VI.
The Spanish King spoke along with three family members of victims who lost their lives when torrential rains flooded large parts of eastern Spain on the evening of Oct. 29, 2024.
The downpour quickly filled normally dry gorges and riverbeds. Rushing waters overflowed their banks, sweeping away cars and destroying homes. There are 237 confirmed deaths, with 229 victims from the eastern Valencia region, according to the central government.
It was one of Europe’s worst natural disasters in living memory. Experts and the government said it was a sign of the dangers of climate change that is driving extreme weather events around the world.
The ceremony was held at a public museum in Valencia city, whose southern neighborhoods and adjoining towns were devastated. Cleanup efforts initially led by thousands of residents and volunteers took weeks to scoop up the layers of mud and debris.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, representatives from Spain’s other regions and families of the deceased also attended.
Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Mazón, was jeered and insulted by several family members of victims before the ceremony started.
Mazón has been heavily criticized for his administration’s slow response to the floods. There have been several large street protests calling for Mazón to step down, and the latest one drew tens of thousands of demonstrators a few days before the funeral. Mazón has clung to power nonetheless even though his management of the flooding remains a drag on the prospects of his center-right Popular Party.
Mazón, King Felipe and Sánchez were pelted with mud when the three made their first joint visit last year to the disaster zone with many people still missing and neighborhoods without power and covered in mire. The king has since made several visits to the area and been well received.
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