Extreme weather conditions leave three dead in southeastern Spain

A heavy downpour over southeastern Spain on Monday left three people dead and caused extensive property damage.

A 61-year-old man drowned in the coastal town of Polopos (Granada) after a flash flood carried away the vehicle he had taken refuge in to get away from the rain.

Another victim of swelling waters – a man in his fifties – was found dead in a ravine near Pago la Luna, within the city limits of Albuñol, also in Granada province.

On Tuesday, the Civil Guard located the body of a man in his sixties on a beach in Gualchos, in Castell de Ferro (Granada). The authorities suspect he also died after being caught in the flooding in the area.

The whereabouts of a fourth person who disappeared during the extreme weather are still unknown.

Monday’s rainstorms swept across the Valencia region, Murcia and eastern Andalusia, where over 300 rain-related incidents were reported in Málaga, Almería, Jaén and Granada.

The rising waters caused roads to be cut off, city streets to flood and swept away cars and trucks. In Almería, rescue workers aided 30 motorists who were trapped inside their vehicles.

Extensive damage to property was reported in the coastal towns of Denia and Benidorm, in Alicante province, as well as Adra in Almería. Authorities are warning that more heavy downpours are expected in parts of Valencia and Alicante provinces throughout Tuesday.

The bad weather conditions also affected air and rail travel: 13 international flights scheduled for arrival in Málaga had to be rerouted to Seville, Granada and Madrid due to poor visibility, while the passengers on four trains between Andalusia and Madrid were transferred to different routes.

English version by Susana Urra.