Although the fresh rains appear to have brought limited damage, in the Malaga province, homes were “decimated” by flooding after a river burst its banks on Wednesday in the town of Benamargosa, as around 3,000 people living along the Guadalhorce River and reportedly a further 1,100 near the Vélez River were evacuated.

Severe thunderstorms and torrential rain have once again battered coastal Spain, causing flooding and evacuations just two weeks after the country experienced deadly flooding in Valencia and other nearby communities.

Flights in and out of Malaga airport were delayed and cancelled and thousands of people have been evacuated due to extreme rainfall and flash floods in the Costa del Sol region. The country’s national weather office Aemet placed both Malaga and the northeastern Catalonia region on the highest alert for strong rain expected to last until Friday.

Thousands of people have been evacuated in Malaga as more torrential rainfall is expected across Spain, two weeks after the deadly flash floods in Valencia. | ITV National News

Authorities warned people to stay inside to protect themselves as heavy rainfall gushed through the streets of Spain’s Mediterranean cities and villages

Coastal areas of Valencia were placed under the highest alert on Wednesday evening, with up to 7 inches of rain in the forecast.

The flash floods were caused by heavy rain, which by Wednesday morning had begun "easing off," according to the country's meteorological agency.