Parched southern Spain was heavily hit by downpours yesterday, with the loss of ten lives; five of them in Murcia.

Whereas, on the Costa Tropical, nobody lost their lives or were seriously hurt, with rains causing momentary flooding of streets in Motril and the main road through Torrenueva.

In Málaga, Almería and Murcia it was a different story, with hundreds of people having to leave their homes after 245 litres of rain fell in a space of a few hours. In Almería, over a hundred people, many of them foreign residents, stayed the night in sport facilities before being allowed to return to their homes.

Nobody could have imagined being drowned in your own house anywhere in Europe but that is precisely what happened to an elderly woman when a river burst its banks and washed into her house – this happened in the province of Málaga (Alora).

Meanwhile, over in Murcia a man attempted to rescue two children trapped in a car, together with their grandmother. The man managed to rescue one, but was swept away before he could reach the other; all but the rescued child died.

In Vera, Almería, a 51-year-old British, who works in a hospital there, is still reported missing.

The A-7 Motorway between Almería and Murcia lost a bridge carrying eastbound traffic, when the storm water undermined the bridge’s foundations.

In Gandía two tornadoes materialized during gale force winds and wiped out an attractions park, completely destroying a Ferris Wheel.

Thank God that the authorities managed to clear the riverbeds here on Costa Tropical before the flash floods swept down them.

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(News: Andalucia)