Deadly flash floods hit southern Spain

Parts of southern Spain have been submerged by a series of flash floods which have claimed at least ten lives, according to local authorities.

On Friday a tornado swept through the main square of a fair ground in the coastal town of Gandia, knocking down a Ferris wheel and injuring 35 people.

The town hall website said several rides were damaged and disconnected from electricity in the fair set up in the main square.

The website also confirmed that 15 of those injured were seriously hurt and were treated on site.

According to local media reports the fair in Valencia province was closed to the public at the time the thunderstorm struck and those injured were fair workers.

Reports also said that hundreds of citizens had to be evacuated throughout the region which was till recently suffering from drought.

The news comes after Lorca had just started to recover from last year’s earthquakes – one of Spain’s deadliest in more than 50 years which had left nine dead.

The adverse weather conditions have also affected parts of Malaga, Granada, Sevilla, Murcia and Alicante. 

Heavy flooding has also caused the destruction of houses and vehicles. Traffic in Malaga was cut along two major highways and flooding disrupted high-speed train service between Madrid and Valencia and various regional lines, while bridges and roads were also made impassible.

It is expected the downpours will continue throughout Saturday, with the front moving north toward Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.

Most of the evacuees were returning home Saturday to clear up the rubble left by the floods with the help of local authority workers.