This is the moment beachgoers were blasted by a sudden burst of extreme heat and powerful winds in Murcia, sending parasols and belongings flying.

The dramatic scenes were filmed in Mazarron on Saturday, when a so-called ‘reventon termico’, or thermal downburst, caused temperatures to suddenly rocket to 41.5C.

Footage from the beach showed holidaymakers scrambling to retrieve parasols, towels and other belongings as a sudden acceleration in the wind whipped up sand and caught people by surprise.

‘From being comfortable and calm on the beach to parasols flying and sand being lifted by a sudden and abrupt acceleration of the wind,’ weather service MeteOrihuela said.

The 41.5C recorded in Mazarron was reportedly the highest temperature recorded anywhere in south-eastern Spain during the day.

Similar warm downbursts were also reported elsewhere in Murcia, including Puerto Lumbreras, as well as neighbouring Almeria province.

The phenomenon can occur around thunderstorms when descending air rapidly warms as it falls towards the ground, producing an abrupt increase in temperature accompanied by potentially powerful wind gusts.

It came during another volatile day of weather across south-eastern Spain, with heavy rain, hail, thunderstorms and intense heat affecting different areas.

Aemet had yellow warnings in place for rain and storms across several parts of Murcia on Saturday, including the Altiplano and Noroeste, later extending warnings to the Vega del Segura and the Guadalentín Valley, Lorca and Águilas.

Temperatures elsewhere remained sweltering, reaching around 37C in Murcia city and 36C in Cartagena.