The search for the missing people is underway along the banks and mouth of the Foix river, near the town of Cubelles, approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Barcelona. Firefighters are conducting the search operations.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez advised citizens to exercise “great caution” and avoid unnecessary travel in 10 northern and eastern regions placed on high alert on Saturday.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in several communities with warnings for heavy rains and storms,” Sanchez stated on X.
The Prime Minister mentioned that troops from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) have been deployed to municipalities in Aragon as part of the response efforts.
Disruption Caused by Heavy Rains
The national weather service, Aemet, reported that 10 centimeters (four inches) of rain had fallen near Barcelona within a short span of hours.
Catalonia and the neighboring region of Aragon were under a red “extreme risk” alert due to rains expected to reach up to 60 liters per square meter in an hour, according to Aemet.
As a precaution, Renfe, Spain’s rail company, temporarily halted services throughout Catalonia on Saturday.
In Barcelona, roads were blocked, and a hospital had to refuse patients after it was inundated with water.
A plane departing from the city for the United States was forced to return after sustaining damage from a hailstorm.
A previous storm in October 2024, primarily affecting Valencia, was one of the worst meteorological calamities in Spain’s history, claiming 225 lives. This disaster was also caused by a “cold drop” or DANA storm system, similar to the current weather phenomenon impacting the country.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse
