At least 2,000 people still missing near Spain’s coastal city of Valencia after deadly flash floods devastated the region.

Palma has now gone into lockdown amid fears that the holiday hotspot of Majorca will be the next place ravaged by floods.

The city, which is expected to take the brunt of the storm, has battened down the hatches with locals and tourists urged to stay inside.

The Mail Online reports: It comes after Spain‘s national weather service warned the brutal weather system that triggered mass floods was headed for Majorca.

To date, over 200 people have been confirmed dead across Spain, although authorities fear that figure could sharply rise in the coming hours and days ahead.

Areas of the main promenade in Palma are currently cordoned off with red tape, and the city’s streets appear nearly deserted.

Public parks, gardens and cemeteries have all been closed until Monday and homeless people evacuated from flood zones.

Palma’s first deputy mayor, Javier Bonet told people to only leave their homes if it is ‘absolutely necessary’.

He said: ‘We are not on red alert, but it is essential to warn the population to avoid greater risks.

The national weather service Aemet declared today that parts of Majorca could be battered with up to 120mm of water in just three to four hours.

To put that figure into context, the UK recorded an average rainfall of 1,290mm in the entire year of 2023 – a tenth of that annual amount could now hit parts of Majorca in a matter of hours.

Officials in Palma have instituted serious weather warnings that came into force at 10am local time today and will last through the weekend, with many public spaces closed down.

It comes as rescue crews in Valencia continue their searches for bodies in stranded cars and sodden buildings as bewildered residents salvage what they can from their ruined homes.

The monstrous flash floods on Tuesday have claimed at least 205 lives, with 155 deaths confirmed in the eastern Valencia region alone.

And in the Costa de la Luz resort of Isla Cristina today a terrifying waterspout made landfall.

The weather phenomenon flung small boats into the air and ripped up trees in the town near Spain’s southern border with Portugal.

Sir Keir Starmer today said the UK ‘stands with Spain’ as an unknown number of people remain missing in the disaster.

The Prime Minister contacted his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez to offer his condolences.

Sir Keir said: ‘My thoughts are with those who have lost their lives, their families and all those affected by the devastation caused by the extreme flooding in Spain. The UK stands with Spain during this difficult time.’