Laurence Dollimore
STREETS across Ronda have been effectively turned into rivers today as an onslaught of severe weather continues to batter the region.
Videos uploaded from the historic part of Malaga province show how cobbled, winding paths have become ferocious muddy rapids in a matter of minutes.
The small town of Pujerra in the hills of the Sierra de Ronda is being hit particularly bad, with one resident telling the Olive Press they were ‘terrified’ by the noise and power of the water.
Other images showed how landslides and fallen trees had caused multiple roads to be closed, including the MA-8302.
It comes after a red level warning was issued by state weather agency Aemet today.
The red warning is the most severe and means there is a ‘serious risk’ to human life and property.
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The red alert is in place in all of Ronda until 6.59pm this evening.
Forecasters predict up to 120mm of rain could fall in the space of 12 hours.
A red warning from Aemet is the most severe possible and is saved for the most dangerous weather scenarios.
The same alert was issued ahead of the deadly Valencia floods last year, which saw more than 220 people killed.
An orange-level alert remains in place for much of the rest of Malaga province, including the capital, Marbella, Estepona and inland areas such as Coin.
Aemet predicts that these areas will see up to 80mm of rainfall in the space of 12 hours. The orange warning ends at 5.59pm.
It comes as the body of a 50-year-old farmer was today discovered in Murcia after he was swept away by flash floods on Sunday.
Father-of-two Jose Hernandez was found near the Ramonete ravine in Lorca, Murcia, on Monday morning, following an hours-long search by the Guardia Civil.
Mayor Fulgencio Gil lamented the death, describing the local as a ‘well-known’ and ‘much-loved’ figure in the community. He leaves behind two teenage children, a boy and a girl aged 19 and 17 respectively, reports El Español.
The corpse was found at the mouth of the Ramonete stream, near to the coast, meaning he had been carried by the water for many kilometres.
Jose, a shepherd by profession, was swept away while driving next to the ravine on Sunday, as he tried to cross the river with his van to reach his farm.
A wave is said to have taken him by surprise and swept him and the vehicle away. The van was located on Sunday.
Several alerts had been issued to residents about the heavy rainfall over the weekend. Up to 77mm of rain is said to have fallen on Lorca yesterday, according to state weather agency Aemet.
Footage from Murcia yesterday showed how many ravines were turned into super fast rapids filled with high-flowing muddy water.
It comes as extreme weather is continuing to affect the south and east of Spain, where heavy rain and winds are expected to endure for the rest of the week.
An elderly couple had to be rescued from their caravan amid flash floods in Almeria, Andalucia on Sunday.
The French residents, aged 78 and 79, were almost carried away by rising rapids in Cuevas de Almanzora.
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 surprise 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.
