They came by bus, by tractor or on foot. They waded through mud hoping to help clean up neighborhoods washed away by floodwaters that have killed at least 214 people. Thousands of Spanish citizens made their way to flood-ravaged Valencia over the weekend after the country’s worst natural disaster in recent history left the nation shocked by images of overturned cars and brick homes torn apart by furious water.

Spain's King Felipe VI and top government officials were pelted with mud by a crowd of enraged flood survivors during the first visit by the country's leaders Sunday to the epicenter of the nation's deadliest natural disaster in living memory.

Spain’s King Felipe VI, center, leaves the scene after crowd of angry survivors of Spain’s floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at the king and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns, near Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Hugo Torres/AP)