Valencia's Flood Fury: Public Outcry and Calls for Leadership Accountability

Thousands protested in Valencia over the handling of devastating floods that caused over 220 deaths. Demonstrators criticized regional leader Carlos Mazon for delayed response, demanding his resignation. Earlier storm warnings were reported, but official alerts came late. Many municipalities acted independently amid the crisis.

Thousands of residents gathered in Valencia, Spain, on Saturday to express outrage over the devastating floods that have claimed more than 220 lives. The massive demonstration called for the resignation of regional leader Carlos Mazon, blaming him for a delayed response to one of Europe's deadliest natural disasters in decades.

Protesters filled Valencia's streets, angrily chanting slogans like 'Killers!' while accusing Mazon of failing to alert the population in time. Demonstrators made their point by leaving muddy boots at the council building's entrance, symbolically underscoring their grievances. The government issued a flood alert after water had already inundated nearby communities.

Despite storm warnings issued by the national weather service days earlier, Mazon contended that he would have alerted the public earlier if given proper information by the monitoring bodies. Meanwhile, local municipalities and institutions, such as Valencia University, had already taken action to safeguard their communities. Authorities continue to search for nearly 80 missing individuals in the worst flood since Portugal's 1967 disaster.

(With inputs from agencies.)