Torrential rain and flash floods have hit northeastern Spain, leaving one person dead and causing widespread disruption across the region.
Spain’s national weather agency AEMET issued warnings for heavy rain across eastern areas on Wednesday, including a red alert for the Barcelona coastline, BBC News reported.
Rescuers recovered the body of a man on Thursday in Olivella, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Barcelona, after his car was swept away by a stream, authorities said.
The heavy rainfall disrupted travel across Catalonia and Valencia, with flights cancelled and roads submerged. Authorities advised people to avoid unnecessary travel, while Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned of “very complicated situations.”
Emergency services in Catalonia said they received more than 850 calls related to the downpours and recorded more than 500 incidents.
Catalan firefighters said on X on Thursday that they had recovered the “lifeless body of a man” in Olivella, correcting earlier reports that the missing person was a woman.
Videos shared on social media showed partially submerged cars and rescue workers trying to reach a vehicle trapped in a heavily flooded underpass.
In Barcelona, several metro stations were closed and buses diverted, while regional train services were disrupted. Flights were also delayed or cancelled at El Prat airport.
In neighboring Valencia, more than 70 millimeters (2.76 inches) of rain fell in just half an hour in several municipalities, according to AVAMET.
“Rarely have we seen such rainfall accumulations in 30 minutes,” the meteorological association said on X.
Emergency services reported 478 incidents in Valencia province, mostly involving property damage, leaks and traffic disruptions.
In the regional capital, all metro lines were suspended and the city’s airport was closed for several hours, resulting in flight diversions.
The downpour came as Spain emerges from its hottest summer on record and an exceptionally warm start to September.
Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying the Mediterranean storms that typically affect eastern Spain in autumn.
The Mediterranean Sea absorbs heat during the summer, increasing evaporation and contributing to heavier rainfall when storms develop.
The flooding occurred less than two years after devastating floods in Valencia killed more than 230 people.