Spain holds memorial ceremony for flood victims year after disaster

Public figures and relatives of the victims attend a memorial ceremony marking one year since floods that killed more than 230 people in Valencia, Spain (Alberto Saiz/AP)

Spain has commemorated the anniversary of last year’s massive floods that killed more than 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 October 29 2024.

The downpour quickly filled normally dry gorges and riverbeds.

Attendees take part in a memorial ceremony marking one year since floods that killed more than 230 people, in Valencia, Spain (Alberto Saiz/AP)

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.

Among the victims were a British couple who had moved to Spain a decade ago as they “always wanted to live in the sunshine”.

Don Turner, 78, and wife Terry, 74, who lived near Pedralba, were found dead in their car, their daughter Ruth O’Loughlin, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, told the BBC.

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 neighbourhoods and adjoining towns were devastated.

Clean-up efforts initially led by thousands of residents and volunteers took weeks to scoop up the layers of mud and debris.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia, next to Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, left, attend a memorial ceremony in Valencia, Spain (Alberto Saiz/AP)

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, representatives from Spain’s other regions and families of the deceased also attended.

Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Mazon, was jeered and insulted by several family members of victims before the ceremony started.

Mr Mazon has been heavily criticised for his administration’s slow response to the floods.

There have been several large street protests calling for Mr Mazon to step down, and the latest one drew tens of thousands of demonstrators a few days before the funeral.

Mr Mazon has clung to power nonetheless even though his management of the flooding remains a drag on the prospects of his centre-right Popular Party.

Mr Mazon, King Felipe and Mr Sanchez were pelted with mud when the three made their first joint visit last year to the disaster zone with many people still missing and neighbourhoods without power and covered in mire.

The king has since made several visits to the area and been well received.