The torrential rain in Calasparra early last night turned streeets into rivers and flooded basements as 30.5 litres of water fell per square metre.
The worst affected areas were the Sanctuary, the Tierra del Sol and Cañada Verde where the force of the water carried away cars and rubbish containers and flooded numerous dwellings, according to official sources.
Various parts of the Los Viveros area had to be closed off for safety reasons as the rain caused landslides.
The local police answered numerous calls from residents with flooded basements or reporting drains unable to cope with the torrent of water.
The most dangerous situation reported by local police was in the Tierra de Sol where a British resident had to hang onto a lampost to avoid being dragged away by the water.
The weather is expected to improve over the weekend but the rain may return on Monday.
