Extensive flooding caused by the heavy rains that occurred today in southeastern Spain. For precautionary reasons, the authorities ordered that schools and universities and daycare centers remain closed.

Murcia, Valencia and Andalusia are the areas where the most serious problems from the bad weather were recorded.

In Cartagena, roads turned into rivers, cars were submerged in muddy water, while crews are making efforts to pump water from basements of houses, as evidenced by images broadcast by Spanish television.

In Valencia, some areas have received more rain in the last 24 hours than they received in total in the previous six months, the Spanish Meteorological Service (AEMET) points out. 130 liters of water per square meter fell within a 24-hour period in the city of Odinient, a rain record for the month of May for over 100 years.

The heavy rains came after a long dry spell. The first quarter of 2023 was the driest since 1961 (when data began to be recorded), according to the Spanish meteorological service. A wave of unusually high temperatures followed in late April, with the mercury climbing to 38.8 degrees Celsius, reminiscent of a heatwave in the heart of summer.