MADRID — Thousands of people gathered in Valencia on Saturday to call for the resignation of the regional government following the recent deadly floods in the area.

People in the regional capital were out on the streets to protest the slow start of the relief effort eleven days after the disaster, which killed over 200 people.

Thousands gathered in the center of Valencia to demand the resignation of Valencia regional government President Carlos Mazón after 65 organizations, including citizens’ initiatives and trade unions, had called for the demonstration at short notice.

The participants chanted, among other things, “murderer, murderer” and “resign, resign.” The town hall square and the access roads filled with people. An official estimate of the number of participants was not initially available.

The Spanish National Police said late on Saturday that more than 100 people had been arrested in Valencia.

On Oct. 29, as much rain fell in a few hours in some Spanish towns as would normally fall in a year.

According to the latest figures from the Spanish government, the heavy rainfall, landslides and flooding at the end of October killed at least 220 people. Authorities recovered 214 bodies in the Valencia region alone.

There were eight deaths recorded in the neighboring regions of Castile-La Mancha and Andalusia. The official number of missing people has been reduced from 78 to 50.

The regional authorities in Valencia said 19 bodies have not yet been identified.

Around 8,500 military staff members and 10,000 officers from the national police forces have been deployed in the approximately 80 affected municipalities.

Many buildings are still partly or completely inaccessible because wrecked cars and household items are blocking the entrances. Meanwhile, the sun has been shining for days in the flooded area.

Spanish king to return to flood-hit region

Earlier on Saturday, the royal office had announced that Spanish King Felipe VI would visit the Valencia region to oversee the ongoing rescue and cleanup operations.

On his first visit to the region last Sunday, accompanied by Queen Letizia, the king was met with angry crowds, who threw mud and insulted the royal couple.