VALENCIA, Spain — An emotionally charged gathering of local residents affected by the devastating floods in Spain confronted King Felipe VI and several government officials during their initial visit to one of the most significantly impacted areas on Sunday.

The visit took place in Paiporta, a suburb of Valencia that suffered extensive damage. While the king attempted to engage in conversation with some of the residents, many others expressed their frustration by yelling insults and complaints.

The situation escalated to the point where police needed to intervene, deploying officers on horseback to manage the large crowd that had formed, which numbered in the dozens.

The floods that struck earlier in the week have reportedly led to the tragic loss of over 200 lives, leaving countless families to cope with the destruction of their homes due to the overwhelming surge of water and mud that inundated the area.