Man dead after record-breaking storm causes flooding in southeastern Spain

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - A man died early Monday after a record-breaking storm caused widespread flooding in the Spanish region of Murcia.

The victim was sleeping in his home in the town of Javali Viejo when violent floodwaters broke through the walls of his house and dragged him 300 meters (984 feet) down the block.

Murcia firefighters said they had also rescued a “multitude of people from their homes” in the same area.

Overnight, the storm hammered Murcia with lightning, strong winds and record-breaking rain.

Spain’s meteorological service AEMET said up to 40.6 mm (1.5 inches) of rain fell in just 10 minutes — the most intense period of precipitation in Murcia since measurements began.

Besides the tragic scenes in Javali Viejo, major streets in the nearby city of Murcia were severely flooded overnight, with images showing flash floods dragging parked cars down the streets.

Significant flooding was also reported around the Mar Menor and the city of Cartegena.

Murcia's emergency services said they had responded to 440 related incidents.

While the water has retreated in part, several major roads were still cut off to traffic by midday Monday.

Murcia also remains under a weather advisory for continued storms and rain throughout the day.

On the other side of Spain, residents of the Canary Islands are also dealing with extreme weather.

There, schools, sporting events and cultural activities were closed as storm Hermine provoked flash floods, power outages and landslides.