Red alert in Spain / At least two people have died, while another is reported missing

Catalonia has been hit in recent days by torrential rain and a storm described by authorities as a “Mediterranean mini-hurricane.” Barcelona and surrounding areas were flooded, two people died, and another person is missing. Firefighters intervened to rescue people trapped in homes, basements, cars and elevators.

After crossing southern Spain, the rains moved north. In Barcelona, precipitation began at around 8 p.m. and continued without interruption, particularly affecting the Valle Llobregat, L’Hospitalet and Cornellà areas. Emergency services received approximately 1,800 calls, and a hospital was flooded.

One of the victims was trapped beneath a collapsed wall, while the other was unable to escape from a basement where they were trying to evacuate the water. In some homes, water levels reached approximately one metre, while underground car parks were completely flooded.

The flow of the Besòs River rose sharply, and residents were advised to avoid travelling and move to upper floors. Locals say they have not experienced a phenomenon of such magnitude in more than 30 years. Flood warnings remained in place until Tuesday, and dozens of flights from El Prat Airport were cancelled or delayed.