Protests over Spain flood response interrupt king's visit to stricken Valencia suburb

People load damaged belongings on a truck, in the aftermath of floods caused by heavy rains, in Sedavi, near Valencia, Spain, November 3, 2024. REUTERS/Susana Vera

PAIPORTA, Spain (Reuters) -Hundreds of residents of a Valencia suburb badly hit by last week's deadly floods protested on Sunday during a visit by Spanish King Felipe, Queen Letizia, and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, with some throwing mud at them.

Chanting "Murderers, murderers!" they vented pent-up anger over what has been widely perceived by local residents as tardy alerts from the authorities about the dangers of Tuesday's flooding, and then a late response by the emergency services when disaster struck.