King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia cut short their visit to flood-hit south-east Spain on Sunday after being met by angry crowds and with more heavy rain expected after at least 217 people died.
Flood-hit Spaniards threw mud at the royal couple's faces and clothes, forcing them to cut short their visit to Bayburta, the epicentre of the disaster, AFP journalists said.
The king and his wife tried to speak to residents and calm their anger, particularly at Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the right-wing governor of the Valencia region, Carlos Mazon, before leaving the area.
The officials arrived in Bayburta, a town of around 25,000 people on the outskirts of Valencia, in the afternoon.
This comes as the Spanish Meteorological Office issued a new orange alert for heavy rain in the Valencia region.
A red alert was also issued for the southern Andalusian province of Almería due to "heavy rains" that could cause "flooding", according to the Met Office, which advised residents not to move unless "absolutely necessary".
According to the latest figures published by the authorities, 217 people have died as a result of the floods, the vast majority (213 people) in the Region of Valencia, with three deaths reported in Castile-La Mancha and one in Andalusia.
In Letor, in the region of Albacete, the body of a woman was found twelve kilometres from where she disappeared, according to a press conference held by the regional government delegate, Pedro Antonio Ruiz Santos.
Authorities expect the toll to rise as car wrecks pile up in tunnels and underground car parks in the worst-hit areas. The exact number of missing people is not yet known.
The situation for the population is also complicated by the damage to transport and communication infrastructure. In many areas, roads are piled high with cars and debris.
"We've been cleaning for three days. Everything is covered in mud," Helena Dana Daniela, a restaurant owner in Chiva, a town of 17,000 west of Valencia, told AFP.
"It feels like the end of the world," the woman in her 30s said, explaining that she was in shock after five days of bad weather. "We are looking for answers and we are not finding any," she added.
Faced with the chaotic situation, Sanchez announced on Saturday the deployment of 5,000 additional troops to the area, bringing the total to 7,500, "the largest deployment of the armed forces ever made in Spain in peacetime," he said.
The soldiers will be joined by 5,000 police and civil guards to support the 5,000 already in the area. An amphibious ship belonging to the Spanish navy is also expected to arrive at the port of Valencia.
Police also announced the arrest of around 20 more people on Saturday night for theft and looting, crimes denounced by the authorities who have promised to restore order.
"Some may feel alone, helpless and unprotected," said Carlos Mazon on Saturday evening, adding, "But I want to send a clear message: we will help all the families," and stressing the "spirit of solidarity" of the population.
Thousands of residents walked through the worst-hit areas on Friday and Saturday, carrying shovels and brooms to help those affected.
At the Vatican on Sunday, Pope Francis said: "Pray for Valencia and the other people of Spain who are suffering so much at the moment.
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