Overview

• The downburst struck between 19:30 and 19:50 on Sunday across beaches in Motril, Salobreña and Torrenueva, catching bathers off guard.
• Beach umbrellas, paddle boards and inflatables were swept into the water by sudden gusts, with witnesses reporting a waterspout and two marine tornadoes off Torrenueva.
• Rescue services responded to about a dozen calls to 112, with lifeguards, Guardia Civil and Salvamento Marítimo assisting five people in distress.
• Local councils ordered immediate evacuations of crowded beaches and have urged residents to stay indoors during similar heat-driven storm threats.
• Authorities remain on alert as AEMET warns that warm downbursts are a known hazard during Andalucía’s summer convective season.