Valencia, a popular Spanish holiday destination on the country's east coast, was battered by thunderstorms and gale-force winds on Thursday, leaving tourists scrambling for cover.
The city was placed under an orange weather alert for storms less than 24 hours after temperatures soared to 44 degrees Celsius (111.2 degrees Fahrenheit).
Video footage shared on social media showed torrential rain and winds exceeding 49 mph. Restaurant workers were seen attempting to retrieve chairs that had been swept downstream as streets turned into rivers. In one clip, a large tree was seen falling to the ground due to the strong winds. Hailstones also battered the city, prompting locals and tourists to seek shelter.
The Valencia City Council announced the temporary closure of all city parks, gardens, and cemeteries. Outdoor activities and certain food markets were also suspended.
This extreme weather event followed an exceptionally hot period. Wednesday night was recorded as the hottest night on record for many areas in the Valencian Community, with temperatures not falling below 30 C (86 F) in numerous locations. In Denia, approximately 60 miles south of Valencia, overnight temperatures peaked at 39 C (102.2 F).
These intense conditions are thought to have resulted from a clash between a high-pressure system from the Mediterranean and a low-pressure mass from the Atlantic.
The heavy rain and storms affected much of Spain's east coast, with warnings issued for Alicante, Castellon, Barcelona, and the Balearic Islands, as well as Aragon.
Spain has been grappling with a summer of extreme weather. Earlier in the week, two women died in the rural village of Manzanedo de Valdueza in the north of the country following fierce storms that triggered landslides. Mud and stones washed through the village, causing damage and injuring two babies.
The country has also experienced some of its most severe wildfires. In July, a wildfire in the Almeria province of Andalusia claimed 13 lives, including a British mother and four other Britons. A 93-year-old British woman also died from injuries sustained in the same blaze.