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Heavy rains cause flash floods in Spain's south, east

Downpours brought on by a. cold front moving across southeastern Spain flooded roadways and. towns on Tuesday, triggering authorities in the worsthit areas. to recommend residents to stay at home and prevent all unnecessary. travel.

Spain's state weather condition firm AEMET stated a red alert in. the eastern Valencia region and the second-highest level of. alert in parts of Andalusia in the south, where a train derailed. due to the heavy rains, although nobody was injured.

Video footage revealed firefighters rescuing caught drivers in the middle of. heavy rain in the Valencian town of Alzira and flooded streets. with stuck automobiles.

Scientists state extreme weather events are ending up being more. regular due to environment modification. Meteorologists think the. warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation,. plays a key role in making torrential rains more serious.

AEMET expected Valencia to take the force of the storm, with. forecasts of more than 90 mm (3.5 inches) of rain in less than. one hour, or 180 mm in under 12 hours.

Schools, court houses and other important services were. suspended in Carlet and some other close-by towns in the Valencia. region.

Regional emergency services asked for the help of UME, a. military unit specialised in rescue operations, in the location of. Utiel-Requena, where farmers' association ASAJA said the storm. was triggering considerable damage to crops.

The storm initially struck Andalusia. In El Ejido, a. Mediterranean city known for its sprawling greenhouses, a. hailstorm broke hundreds of vehicle windshields, flooded the streets. and damaged the primarily plastic greenhouse infrastructure.

In Alora, likewise in Andalusia, the Guadalorce river overflowed. and 14 people there needed to be rescued by firefighters,. authorities said. Alora topped AEMET's ranking on Tuesday with. 160 mm of rains.

(source: Reuters)