This is the dramatic moment a group of youngsters were rescued from the roof of a sinking car in flood-hit Granada on Thursday.
Footage from the Guardia Civil shows the visibly distressed group huddled on top of the vehicle in Huetor Tajar, one of the worst hit towns in terms of floods sparked by Storm Leonardo.
The group were caught by surprise after the River Genil burst its banks.
They were forced to climb onto the roof of the vehicle and wait for help as the current surged around them.
Emergency services launched an urgent rescue operation amid dangerous conditions.
Radio communications from the scene captured the tension of the moment.
An officer can be heard saying: ‘Confirmed, it looks like three or four people on top of the car. We’re just a few metres away now. We’re arriving.’
Another explained they would approach from the side to avoid the strongest flow.
Officers were aided by a local resident who provided an excavator – a crucial piece of equipment given the depth and force of the water, which had already risen above the vehicle’s bonnet.
The operation began at 7.54pm and concluded at 8.35pm, with all four occupants brought safely to dry ground after 41 minutes.
According to the Guardia Civil, none were injured and all are now in good health.
So far, the latest bout of severe weather has triggered more than 8,600 emergency incidents across the region.
The incident is the latest reminder of the dangers posed by swollen rivers following weeks of relentless rain, as Andalucia remains on high alert for further flooding in the days ahead.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
