A powerful rainstorm hit Barcelona on Wednesday night, leading to flight cancellations and significant mobility issues. Emergency services responded to numerous incidents as the city faced severe flooding.
A torrential downpour struck Barcelona and surrounding areas on Wednesday evening, causing widespread disruption in transportation and essential services. The intense rainfall led to flooding in various locations, prompting emergency responses from local authorities.
By nightfall, conditions worsened significantly. The Ronda de Dalt was closed at exits 2 (Llobregat) and 3 (Besòs) due to water accumulation on the road. Emergency responders from the Guardia Urbana and Bombers de Barcelona waded through knee-deep water to assist stranded motorists as the roadway transformed into a rushing river.
As rainfall intensified after 9 PM, several incidents were reported throughout the city. Notably, three floors of the Vall d’Hebron hospital experienced flooding, leading to precautionary evacuations of some patients from affected areas. Fortunately, no injuries were reported at that time.
Other major roads also faced closures; the B-20 was blocked near Santa Coloma de Gramenet heading towards Mataró, while the N-260 was shut down in Ribas de Freser due to similar conditions. Traffic jams were reported on multiple routes including C-58 between Ripollet and Barcelona and C-33 between La Llagosta and Barcelona.
The storm caused six electrical supply incidents affecting approximately 7,696 subscribers, although this number later decreased to 570. In response to worsening weather forecasts predicting further storms with hail up to two centimeters and wind gusts exceeding 90 kilometers per hour, Protecció Civil issued an Es-Alert for several regions including Vallès Occidental and Baix Llobregat.
As midnight approached, reports emerged that Bombers were searching for a person believed to have been swept away by a stream in Olivella (Garraf). This incident underscored the storm’s severity as it continued to wreak havoc across Catalonia.
The adverse weather forced El Prat Airport to cancel 23 flights, with many others experiencing delays. Enaire described the situation as “very complicated” via social media due to ongoing storms that also led Valencia Airport to close because of flooding concerns.
Train services were not spared either; disruptions occurred between Fabra i Puig and Montcada Bifurcació stations with average delays exceeding 20 minutes across nearly all Rodalies lines in Catalonia. By ten o’clock that evening, Bombers had responded to 121 calls, primarily concentrated in Barcelonès where they dealt with flood-related emergencies.
The episode prompted Protecció Civil to activate its emergency plan Inuncat as they received over 644 calls related to various incidents stemming from the heavy rains. Additionally, hydrological warnings were issued for areas along the Ter River after alert levels were surpassed in Campllong and Cornellà de Terri.
The storm’s impact extended beyond urban areas; picturesque sites like Girona saw their cathedral steps transformed into cascading waterfalls as localities recorded astonishing rainfall rates—57 liters per square meter within just half an hour in Fornells de la Selva.
This extreme weather event serves as a reminder of nature’s unpredictability. Residents are advised to stay updated through local news channels for further alerts regarding potential flooding or travel disruptions as recovery efforts continue throughout affected regions.
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