Carlos Mazón, president of Valencia, has apologised for his government’s inadequate response to the flash floods that devastated the region after it emerged he had a three-hour lunch with a journalist on the day of the disaster.

The regional leader said the “response was not enough” to the floods which killed at least 216 people, with a further 16 still missing, in a speech to Valencia’s parliament.

Offering his “apologies”, the president from the conservative People’s Party (PP) detailed what measures the government took but offered no information about his whereabouts between midday and 7pm, when he joined an ongoing session of Valencia’s emergency committee.

Mr Mazón said he was compelled to “face his responsibilities”, but also criticised what he termed “fake news” about his government’s response to “the worst flash flood in Spain since 1962 and one of Europe’s worst natural disasters”.

Mr Mazón did not cancel his engagements on Oct 29, despite the red alert for torrential rains and possible flooding.