1 dead as flash floods in southern Spain destroy homes, roads

Sept. 28, 2012 - Residents walk by a wrecked car carried away by flash floods after heavy rain in the town of Villanueva del Rosario, Malaga, southern Spain. (AP)

Sept. 28, 2012 - A man clears muddy water from his house, after heavy rain caused flash floods in the town of Villanueva del Rosario, Malaga, southern Spain. (AP)

Sept. 28, 2012 - residents walk on a muddy street after heavy rain caused flash floods in the town of Villanueva del Rosario, Malaga, southern Spain. (AP)

Torrential downpours in southern Spain have caused flash floods that have killed one person, swamped homes and swept cars down roads transformed into raging rivers.

An official in the town of Alora says homes were destroyed and at least one woman was killed. Rescue workers are searching to determine if there are more victims. She did not have more details and spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with town policy.

Images in Spanish media showed wrecked cars carried away by flash floods, rivers overflowing their banks and people sweeping muddy water out of their homes. The heavy rains started early Friday morning. The hardest hit area included Alora and other nearby towns inland from the Mediterranean city of Malaga.