The death toll as of 08.00h this morning stands at five, but there are still people unaccounted for on the island of Mallorca.
One of the victims was found in her house and another, a person of advanced age, was found in his cellar, according to Europa Press.
The heavy rains caused a flash flood that swept through the town of Sant Llorenç with its 8,300 inhabitants last night. During the course of the evening around 220 litres per square metre fell with the heaviest downpour occurring from 19.00h
The volume of water broke the banks of the small river that runs through the town, sweeping away one of the bridges. With the water raging through the streets many residents took refuge on the upper floors of their homes; some even took to the roofs and even trees.
So many homes have become uninhabitable that over 100 people needed to be relocated to nearby, municipal sports centres and a even the Manacor race course 8.5km away.
From first light this morning the UME, which is a military unit specialised in natural disasters, moved in, but emergency services had been working during the night to rescue residents and move them to safety.
13:12h Update: the death toll now stands at nine. Málaga is on Orange Alert, which means that weak structures are at risk.
14.30h Update: According to El País national newspaper, the Mayor of the stricken town declared that two of the victims were a British couple who had been travelling in a taxi when the flood waters struck. The taxi driver is one of the six persons still missing: “La teniente de alcalde de Sant Llorenç, Antonia Bauza, ha confirmado a la cadena SER que dos de las víctimas son una pareja de nacionalidad británica que viajaba en un taxi cuyo conductor se encuentra desaparecido.”
It is worth clarifying that the bodies found in the coastal town of S’Illot, were brought there by the flood water; a distance of some ten kilometres, and were not, as some sources appear to indicate, residents of this seaside town.
(News: Sant Llorenç, Mallorca, Balearic Islands – Photo: frame from video)