Floods in Spain sweep away cars, disrupt trains and leave several people missing

Cars are swept away by the water after floods preceded by heavy rains caused the river to overflow its banks in the town of Alora, Malaga (Gregorio Marrero/AP)

Several people have been reported missing by Spanish authorities after flash floods swept cars through village streets and disrupted rail services in large areas of eastern and southern Spain.

Rushing mud-coloured waters caused havoc in a huge arc of the European country, running from the provinces of Malaga in the south to Valencia in the east.