Madrid - Flooding triggered by heavy rainstorms has put parts of the Spanish exclave of Melilla in northern Africa under water and cut the city off from the outside, reports said Sunday.

Spanish officials said that the most important border crossing to Morocco was now impassable, with the Rio de Oro river having jumped its banks and flooded several districts of the city of 70,000.

Raging floodwaters swept away cars and trash containers after rains measuring 80 litres per square metre inundated the city. dpa