Sunday in Catalonia was challenging: heavy rains brought key transport arteries in the region to a standstill. Landslides and fallen trees were reported in several areas, forcing emergency services to close a number of roads and suspend some railway lines.
The situation was particularly difficult in the Montserrat area, where a major landslide blocked the funicular railway. As a result, 27 people were stranded at the upper station. Rescuers decided to evacuate them, even though some of the group might have been able to descend on their own—because the rain had not let up, unnecessary risks were avoided. Five fire crews were deployed for the evacuation, along with railway and civil protection personnel. An enhanced state of alert was introduced for transport services in the region.
In the municipality of Marganell, located at the foot of the mountain, local roads BP-1103 and BP-1121 had to be closed because of a landslide. By this time, Montserrat had seen over 100 liters of rainfall per square meter. In Terrassa, the B-122 road was also shut down, and traffic on the C-58 was halted due to flooding. Drivers are advised to exercise maximum caution, especially along the AP-7 section between Castellbisbal and Castellví de Rosanes, where visibility is near zero.
Rail transport proved to be just as vulnerable. On the R5 line between Monistrol de Montserrat and Castellbell i el Vilar, a tree fell onto the overhead lines, while another struck a carriage. Passengers had to be evacuated from the train, with six fire crews called in to assist. On other routes such as R2-sur, R-14, R-15, R-16, and R-17, train movement slowed or switched to single-track operation due to obstacles on the tracks. As a result, travel times increased by half an hour or more, especially impacting passengers on Barcelona–Lleida and Barcelona–Flix routes.
Weather anomalies also disrupted air travel. Airports in Barcelona, Palma, and Menorca reported delays, and passengers are advised to check their flight status in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and urge residents to exercise caution on the roads and when planning trips.
