Watch as downpour and rapidly-rising river level traps two parked cars in the Axarquía

Sudden downpours in Malaga province have caused water to rush down the Benamargosa river in the Axarquía and trap two cars that were parked on the dry riverbed.

The river, which flows down from Cútar and the Axarquia mountains suddenly filled with water on Thursday morning following downpours further inland. Two parked cars were left stranded as the waters gushed beneath them.

The councillor in Benamargosa said the owners of the two cars did not move them before the rain fell. But they were able to remove them a few hours later when the water subsided. The flash floods also swept away several rolls of irrigation tubing that had been placed on one side of the river.

Downpours have dumped much-needed rain all over the province on Thursday 18 May, with Los Montes and the upper Axarquía recording nearly 100mm.

The downside is that hardly any of the water will go into the reservoir at La Viñuela, which is at a historic low at below 10% capacity. The reservoir is at a higher elevation than Benamargosa. The downpour will only help fill the aquifers in the area after five months without rain.