IN PICTURES: Firefighters rescue resident from house in southern Spain as river floods

INTENSE rainfall in the Serrania de Ronda – just inland from the Costa del Sol – has caused a river to burst its banks and forced the evacuation of properties.

The level of the River Guadiaro that flows through the towns of Benaojan, Jimera de Libar and Cortes de la Frontera rose suddenly causing flooding to riverside properties.

Town halls have implemented local action plans as the river continues to rise and heavy rain continues to fall and more properties are being evacuated.

Tonight (Friday) firefighters and Guardia Civil rescued a woman from a property in Jimera de Libar in darkness as flood waters swirled around it.

More rain is currently forecast across the region for at least another week.