After the devastating storms in Spain, hundreds of people in Valencia commemorated the dead. A funeral service was held in the cathedral of the Mediterranean metropolis, which was also attended by the Spanish royal couple. More than 400 families of the victims gathered to say goodbye to the Archbishop of Valencia, Enrique Benavent.
In the Valencia region alone, 222 people died on October 29 from the so-called ‘once in a century’ weather, and another eight in the regions of Castile-La Mancha and Andalusia.
Applause and shouts of protest for Felipe and Letizia
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were greeted with applause and “Long live the king” as they arrived at the cathedral shortly before 7 p.m., but also with some shouts of protest, as the Europa Press news agency reported.
During a first visit to the particularly hard-hit town of Paiporta near Valencia in early November, angry people threw mud at the royal couple; another visit to the city of Chiva in mid-November was peaceful. After the funeral service, the royal couple wanted to meet the relatives, state broadcaster RTVE reported during a live broadcast.
People remain outraged
Many people are still outraged by what they say was a warning about the storms coming too late and that aid was delivered too slowly in many of the 80 or so affected towns west and south of Valencia. Their protest is against Valencia regional president Carlos Mazón, who also took part in the funeral service, but also against the Spanish government in Madrid. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets during two major demonstrations in Valencia.
Many places are still badly affected by flooding, in some cases electricity and heating are not working and many schools cannot be used.
Source: Krone
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