DANA Alice unleashed some of its heaviest bouts of rainfall over southern and southeastern Spain overnight.
The Costa Blanca south and parts of Murcia’s coastline had been placed under a red alert by state weather agency, meaning there was an ‘extreme risk’ to personal safety.
Meteorologists predicted that up to 180mm of rainfall could fall on the affected areas over a 12-hour period.
Footage from Pilar de la Horadada in Alicante late on Friday night showed how the Urbana ravine had completely overflowed with flood water.
Muddy water could be seen gushing down stairs and making a ferocious sound as it crashed by people recording on their mobile phones.
Weather experts at the Proyecto Mastral organisation said in an update at midnight: ‘It keeps raining in many areas of Alicante and the Region of Murcia.
‘There are towns that have already far exceeded 150 litres per square metre. Notable tonight is the storm affecting the border between Alicante and Murcia.’
In Los Alcazares in Murcia, authorities were seen frantically building walls with sand bags as the Albujon ravine began to fill to dangerous levels and was placed on an orange alert.
Footage shared on X earlier on Friday showed roads in the La Manga region of Murcia being submerged in muddy water.
It came after a ‘water tornado’, also known as a waterspout, was filmed approaching La Palma in Cartagena on Thursday afternoon.
By Friday afternoon, Rojales in Alicante had recorded 74 litres of rainfall, with one clip showing a huge lightning bolt striking a roundabout.
In Benidorm, the Iberia Festival, which was scheduled to take place this Friday and Saturday, was definitively cancelled.
In an official statement, the festival organisers explained that ‘the forecasts place the event at the most critical moment, and the authorities have determined that the safety of the public cannot be guaranteed.’
