Three dead, three missing after downpours in Spain cause widespread floods

People wait for the bus by a flooded road caused by heavy rain, following a red alert for a severe storm from Spain's State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), in Madrid, Spain, September 4, 2023. REUTERS/Susana Vera

MADRID (Reuters) -At least three people died and three were missing as record rainfall caused heavy flooding in central Spain, shutting roads, subway lines and high-speed train connections, authorities said on Monday.

Helicopters were sent to rescue people who had sought refuge on the roofs of their homes in the Toledo area some 50 km (31 miles) southwest of Madrid, emergency services said.