A farming association in Spain has declared a "catastrophe" in large areas of the country following heavy flooding and torrential rains.

A cold snap last week brought the severe weather to the Balearic Islands and Spain eastern coast. At least five deaths have been reported.

The Union of Small-holder Farmers and Ranchers said there had been "severe damage" to farmland in numerous parts of the country.

Citrus, table grapes, olives and vegetables in particular have been heavily affected, it said.

"It is still early to quantify the damages, but we can say for certain that the damages are enormous," the group said in a statement on Friday. "

Much farming infrastructure has been destroyed, while large areas of farmland are waterlogged.

In Alicante, a farming organization said initial estimates suggest that 150,000ha of citrus, vegetable and grape production have been lost.

The storm that slammed into the Mediterranean coastal regions of Valencia, Murcia and eastern Andalusia on Thursday and Friday left more than 3,500 people in need of emergency rescues, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said.

Some towns and cities on Friday reported their heaviest rainfall on record over the past two days.

¡Sin palabras! Situación muy complicada en la comarca de la #VegaBaja del Segura. Calles convertidas en ríos en #Bigastro (#Alicante). @ecazatormentas @InfoEmerg. Vídeo: Jesús Ruiz. pic.twitter.com/edqr1GqZ2M

— MeteOrihuela (@MeteOrihuela) 13 de septiembre de 2019