Flash Floods Ravage Barcelona Region, Claiming One Life

A severe bout of torrential rain and flash flooding has struck north‑eastern Spain, resulting in one fatality and extensive disruption across the area.

Spain’s national meteorological agency, AEMET, issued heavy‑rain warnings for eastern Spain on Wednesday, including a red alert for Barcelona’s coastline.

On Thursday, rescuers recovered the body of a man in Olivella, roughly 40 km west of Barcelona, after his vehicle was carried away by a swollen stream, authorities confirmed.

The deluge has paralysed transport across Catalonia and Valencia, with flights cancelled and roads submerged. Authorities urged people to avoid non‑essential travel, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez cautioned that the situation could become “very complicated”.

Catalonia’s emergency services reported receiving more than 850 calls linked to the heavy rain, documenting over 500 separate incidents.

Catalan firefighters posted on X on Thursday that they had recovered the lifeless body of a man in Olivella, correcting earlier reports that had mistakenly identified the victim as a woman.

Footage circulated on social media showing partially submerged cars and rescue workers struggling to reach a vehicle trapped in a heavily flooded underpass.

In Barcelona, several metro stations were closed and bus routes diverted, while regional trains faced disruptions and flights were delayed or cancelled at El Prat Airport.

Neighbouring Valencia recorded more than 70 mm (2.76 in) of rain in just half an hour across several municipalities, according to AVAMET.

“Rarely have we seen such rainfall accumulations in 30 minutes,” the meteorological association posted on X.

Emergency services reported 478 incidents in the Valencia province, the majority of which involved property damage, leaks and traffic disruption.

In the regional capital, all metro lines were suspended and the airport was closed for several hours, resulting in flight diversions.

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