Environment

Deadly Floods Hit Spain as Torrential Rains Disrupt Travel

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POLITIS TEAM

A man died after his car was swept away near Barcelona as severe flooding caused widespread transport disruption across eastern Spain.

A man has died after his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters near Barcelona, as torrential rain and flash flooding battered Spain's Mediterranean coast, triggering widespread disruption to transport networks and prompting hundreds of emergency calls.

The victim's body was recovered early on Thursday in the village of Olivella, around 40 kilometres west of Barcelona, according to Spanish emergency services. Authorities said the man had been driving a vehicle that was carried away by a torrent of water.

Heavy rain triggers emergency response

Spain's national meteorological agency, AEMET, issued warnings for intense rainfall across eastern parts of the country and briefly placed Barcelona under a red alert due to the risk of flash flooding.

Emergency services in Catalonia and Valencia urged residents to avoid all non-essential travel as severe weather conditions continued.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as "very complicated" in a message posted on social media.

Transport networks affected

In Barcelona, several metro stations were closed and bus routes altered after roads became flooded.

Rail services also experienced disruptions, while delays and flight cancellations were reported at Barcelona-El Prat Airport, Spain's second-busiest airport.

Catalan emergency services said they received more than 850 calls for assistance, responding to over 500 weather-related incidents.

Valencia also hit by flooding

The neighbouring region of Valencia, which suffered catastrophic floods in 2024 that killed more than 230 people, was also affected by severe weather.

Meteorologists reported rainfall totals of 70 millimetres in just 30 minutes in some communities.

Emergency responders recorded 478 incidents across the province, most involving property damage, flooded homes, water leaks and traffic disruptions.

In the city of Valencia, the entire metro network was suspended, while the airport halted operations for several hours, forcing the diversion of 12 flights, according to airport operator AENA.

Scientists point to climate change

The storms followed an unusually dry September and a summer that broke temperature records in Spain, according to AEMET.

Scientists have warned that human-driven climate change is intensifying Mediterranean storms, making extreme rainfall events more frequent and severe across Spain, particularly during the autumn months.

Source: CNA

 

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#SPAIN #FLOODS

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