Laurence Dollimore
THIS is the moment an elderly couple had to be rescued from their caravan amid flash floods in southern Spain.
The French residents, aged 78 and 79, were almost carried away by rising rapids in Cuevas de Almanzora in Almeria on Sunday.
It comes as large parts of southern and eastern Spain are suffering days of heavy rainfall, with the deluge predicted to last for all of this week.
Yellow and orange alerts have been issued along the Costa del Sol and parts of Valencia and Alicante today, with warnings of more flooding.
The French couple rescued yesterday were taken by surprised when a rapid washed over a parking area next to Quitapellejos beach.
The wife had called police in a panic, saying in broken Spanish that the water had begun entering their caravan.
Authorities immediately launched a rescue operation after the woman was able to communicate with an Guardia Civil officer in English, leading them to their location.
Rescuers arrived to the find the couple waving lanterns inside their trapped vehicle in a bid to get their attention.
Officers had to wade through waist-high water to reach the couple and their two pet dogs.
The man and woman were evacuated to a hospital as they showed signs of hypothermia and disorientation. They are expected to make a full recovery.
Police and firefighters carried out more than 20 rescue operations in Almeria on Sunday, with many people becoming trapped in their cars.
Some people had also become trapped following several landslides in the province.
Video footage shared online at the weekend showed streets in Almeria turned into rapids amid the downpour.
