Portugal Colonial - Spanish royals to attend memorial service for flood victims

The ceremony in honour of "the deceased and the victims" of Spain's worst floods in a generation will take place at 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) on December 9 at Valencia's cathedral, the archbishop's office in Valencia said in a statement.

Contacted by AFP, the royal palace said the king and queen would be present at the event, without providing further details.

Torrential rains on October 29 caused flash floods that killed at least 230 people, swept away cars, and wrecked homes and businesses, mainly in the eastern region of Valencia on the Mediterranean coast. Four people are still missing.

Popular outrage over the over the authorities' handling of the disaster boiled over in the ground-zero town of Paiporta on November 3 when survivors hurled mud at the king and queen as well as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

The royal couple cut short that visit but were received with applause and cheers when they returned to the region on November 19.

The government has scrambled to put together aid packages collectively worth 16.6 billion euros ($17.5 billion) in grants and loans to help stricken citizens piece back together their shattered lives.

C.Amaral--PC