At least eight people were killed and many are still missing after the powerful tornado that swept across the Spanish island of Mallorca, among other places, last night.

This is what one of those who escaped unharmed says:

“The water was pouring into cars and water was coming in through windows and doors,” this man tells the Spanish television channel RTVE. The worst hit was the small community of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, sixty kilometers from Mallorca's largest city, Palma.

The force of the water that gushed out during the evening and night literally overturned cars. In some places, 230 liters of water per square meter have been recorded, according to the newspaper El Païs.

The rain has since subsided and television images from Sant Llorenç des Cardassar today show squares and streets filled with stones and mud. Rescue workers are searching for people who have been reported missing and may be trapped in their houses and cars. Around 200 people have spent the night on mattresses in assembly halls.

But it wasn't just the Balearic Islands, where Mallorca is located, that were affected. Farther away, in Malaga and Marbella in Andalusia in southern Spain, the rains have been heavy and around a hundred accidents have been reported. Barcelona and Girona in Catalonia have also been hit by heavy rain.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to arrive in Mallorca today to assess the extent of the need for assistance with his team.

Source: sverigesradio.se