Leader of Spain flood region admits 'mistakes' amid calls for his resignation

NEWS WIRES

15 November 2024 at 11:53 am·1-min read

The leader of Spain's Valencia region Carlos Mazon defended his handling of the disasterous floods in October that killed over 200 people there. Dozens of protesters interrupted his two-hour-long monologue in front of the regional parliament, jeering and calling for his resignation.

The head of the Spanish region devastated by the country's deadliest floods in decades admitted to "mistakes" and apologised on Friday but rebuffed calls for his resignation.

The October 29 disaster claimed 224 lives nationwide -- 216 in the eastern Valencia region -- wrecked infrastructure, gutted buildings and submerged fields in damage costing tens of billions of euros.

Outrage at the authorities for their perceived mismanagement before and after the floods has coursed through Spain, piling particular pressure on the Valencia region's conservative leader Carlos Mazon.

"I'm not going to deny mistakes" or "shirk any responsibility", Mazon told Valencia's regional parliament on Friday in a monologue lasting around two hours.

Many residents living in towns soaked with mud have complained they were left without food and water for days and relied on volunteers instead of the government for aid.

(AFP)

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