Residents of Els Poblets, near Alicante in eastern Spain, began cleaning up on Monday after Storm Adam brought severe flooding to the region.

Mud-covered furniture was piled outside homes as people swept thick layers of mud from kitchens and living rooms.

Some residents said floodwaters had risen more than 1.5 metres, destroying nearly everything inside their properties.

“We can’t use a single thing,” said 56-year-old Candy Vanes, whose home was badly damaged. Emergency crews arrived to assess the destruction as residents faced the task of clearing their homes and salvaging what they could.