Flash Floods Sweep Cars Through Streets in Southeastern Spain

Flash floods swept through the town of Madrigueras in southeastern Spain after the region was hit by near-record rainfall, leaving one woman dead and prompting the rescue of around 90 people, according to local authorities.

Footage from the scene showed floodwaters surging through streets with enough force to carry cars along with the current, underscoring the intensity of the downpour that struck the area. Emergency services were mobilized to reach residents trapped by the rising water.

Spain's southeast has periodically experienced severe flash flooding in recent years, as intense, short-duration rainstorms sometimes linked to the weather pattern known locally as a "gota fria," or cold drop, overwhelm drainage systems and waterways in the region's towns and rural areas.

The death reported in Madrigueras adds to the toll from what authorities described as one of the more severe rainfall events to hit the area in recent memory. The roughly 90 people rescued were brought to safety as emergency crews worked through the affected zones overnight.

Local and regional authorities are expected to assess the full scope of the damage in the coming days as floodwaters recede and cleanup efforts begin.