Ceuta, Spain - Rainstorms wreaked havoc Monday in Spain's north African enclave of Ceuta, forcing the closure of schools, disrupting maritime traffic and damaging the border fence separating the autonomous city from surrounding Morocco, officials said. 

Police patrols were increased on the border to prevent the entry of undocumented immigrants, who have long used Ceuta as a gateway to Europe, climbing over the 
8-kilometre-long fence topped by barbed wire. 

Floodwater inundated buildings, forcing the evacuation of three families, as well as a market and a morgue which were closed. 

Ferry traffic between Ceuta and Algeciras on the Spanish mainland was suspended already on Sunday. 

Flooding was reported also in Melilla, the other Spanish enclave further to the east, where a river carried tons of garbage to the beach. 

Ceuta and Melilla, which are claimed by Morocco, have more than 70,000 residents each. (dpa)