Spain floods: Three dead, three missing after torrential rain

At least three people died and three were missing as record rainfall caused heavy flooding in central Spain, shutting roads, subway lines and high-speed train connections, authorities said on September 4.

Helicopters were sent to rescue people who had sought refuge on the roofs of their homes in the Toledo area some 50 km (31 miles) southwest of Madrid, emergency services said, Reuters reports.

The sudden downpour on Sunday and early September 4 transformed streets into rivers of mud that swept away cars and trash bins in Madrid, Castile-La Mancha, Catalonia and Valencia regions. Hail also fell in many areas.

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Three people died in the countryside around the central city of Toledo, where the weather service AEMET registered record rainfall of 90 litres per square metre on Sunday.

One of the victims was a young man who was trapped in a lift that filled up with water, while another was inside a vehicle when it got flooded, police said.

The third person who died was a 50-year-old man who had been reported as missing. His body was found in the afternoon floating in a river near his home in the town of Camarena.

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"It just kept raining and we were a little scared, but we were indoors so we were safe," said Isabella Stewart, a U.S. missionary living in Toledo as she was taking a bus.

Another Toledo resident, Ruben Gonzalez, said: "I live four blocks away and it was very strong. Everything is flooded. This is crazy."