THIRTEEN people were rescued on Monday evening after their vehicles were trapped by floodwater inside the two AP-7 motorway tunnels in Pilar de la Horadada.
The Guardia Civil and Policia Local took the uninjured victims to a municipal shelter where they spent the night.
A municipal ambulance crew was also despatched to the scene- close to the border between Alicante province and the Murcia region.
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Around 70mm of rain fell in less than an hour on Monday night, overwhelming the north and southbound tunnels drainage system at around 11pm.
An orange weather alert issued two hours earlier had forecast up to 40mm of rain in an hour.
As of Tuesday morning, the Alicante to Cartagena motorway remained closed, with motorists being diverted onto the parallel N-332 route.
Maintenance teams and drainage pumps were at the site clearing standing water, mud, and debris ahead of structural inspections.
The tunnels have a long history of suffering from flooding during periods of torrential rain.
Their low-lying design leaves the stretch vulnerable to flood run-offs from Pilar de la Horadada and surrounding farmland when water is not carried away by the urban drainage channel.
Less than a year ago, the Ministry of Transport completed work to improve safety in the two tunnels, leading to temporary closures and diversions.
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