Brutal thunderstorm strikes Costa Blanca as torrential rain sparks flooding and turns streets into rivers

SPAIN has been battered by thunderstorms and downpours, including areas popular with British tourists. A powerful storm swept from north to south across Costa Blanca, in the province of Alicante, on Saturday morning only 48 hours after a man died in flashfloods. Cars partially submerged in floodwaters Credit: Solarpix A bar sustained mass damage during the storm Credit: Solarpix Up to 50 litres of rain per square metre was unleashed along parts of the coast in just a few hours, forcing people to seek refuge inside. The deluge was accompanied by blinding flashes of lightning, booming thunder and sudden flooding, turning roads into rivers. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Footage shows dozens of cars stranded in muddy waters while containers are swept into the path of traffic. Another video shows water pouring inside a bar terrace, submerging chairs and tables. Roads and streets turned into rivers Credit: Solarpix An underpass submerged halfway Credit: Solarpix Holiday hotspots like Alicante and Benidorm were also hit by the freaky weather conditions. Near neighbouring Denia, a spectacular waterspout was also spotted, only adding to the dramatic scenes along the coast. In Orihuela, firefighters were also deployed after a palm tree was hit by lightning and caught fire, leaving it smouldering. The Spanish national weather agency AEMET described the storms as highly localised but very intense, meaning rainfall amounts varied sharply even between nearby coastal communities. Most read in The Sun A watersprout near Denia Credit: Solarpix Damage on the beachfront Credit: Solarpix The agency issues an orange alert for wind, rain and storms, which was later dropped. Currently, there is an active yellow alert for Lorca, Cartagena and San Javier. The storms came just days after a British man died in flash floods in the town of Olivella, around 20 miles from Barcelona. Rescuers recovered the “lifeless body” of the man about 1,500ft from his car after it was swept away by a stream, authorities said. Thursday’s deluge disrupted travel across Catalonia and Valencia, with flights cancelled and roads submerged. Authorities further warned that popular holiday destinations Benidorm, Ibiza, and Magaluf will be hit in the coming days. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned of “very complicated situations” as authorities urged against any travel. The horrific weather comes after Spain’s hottest summer on record. Wildfires erupted throughout the nation as astonishing clips showed the extent of the devastation. Comment now