Overnight rain flooded streets across Barcelona, bringing parts of the city to a halt and prompting a red alert. Metro service stopped, while flights at El Prat were delayed and water covered whole neighborhoods.
Several districts have recorded more than 100 litres per square metre. The Generalitat activated the highest emergency level and banned non-impressive movement in 20 comarcas. Outdoor events are suspended until at least Sunday afternoon, including sports and cultural activities, as well as leisure events. Protecció Civil and Meteocat confirmed that the emergency plan is at its highest phase, with the red alert covering many coastal and pre-coastal regions. Metro and bus services in Barcelona stopped from midnight to 05:00 on October 4. Entrances at Rocafort and Bruc stations were closed, as were those at Almogàvers and Catalunya, for safety. Meteocat forecasts indicated that rainfall could exceed 200 to 300 litres per square metre in certain scenarios. Critical thresholds are set at 40 l/m² in 30 minutes, 90 l/m² in 3 hours and over 200 l/m² in 24 hours.
Protecció Civil has moved the INUNCAT plan to its emergency phase and sent ES-Alert messages to the public. People have been told to stay inside and avoid travel. Flooding is not the only risk: authorities have warned of sudden wind gusts, along with the possibility of tornadoes or waterspouts as the storm continues. Movement and event bans are in force across 20 comarcas from Saturday evening through at least 14:00 on Sunday. At the peak of the red alert, the most severe restrictions initially affected 17 comarcas. They included Barcelonès and Baix Llobregat, along with Garraf, Maresme and Vallès Occidental. The restrictions later expanded to 20 regions as the situation evolved, Protecció Civil and Meteocat said.
Transport is under heavy strain. The city’s rail network faces major delays, while flights at El Prat airport have been canceled or delayed. Rodalies and Ferrocarrils lines are also affected. Cancellations and delays are mounting at Barcelona-El Prat airport. Emergency teams are working around the clock to handle incidents and keep conditions from worsening.
Sports, festivals and other outdoor events have been canceled until at least 14:00 on Sunday. Forecasts show more rain through the night and into the morning, so the timeline could change.
The Generalitat and emergency services are in constant contact, tracking new risks and responding to incidents as they come in. Their work is focused on keeping people safe and protecting infrastructure, while keeping the public updated as the storm continues.
Catalonia has seen sudden, intense storms before, putting cities and emergency systems under pressure. As Russpain reported earlier, the region has a record of such events. This time, the response is broader and the restrictions cover more areas, reflecting the severity of the rain and lessons learned from past disasters.
The emergency highlights how exposed city infrastructure is to extreme weather. The storm remains active, and further disruption is possible. Climate swings now pose a daily challenge for city leaders and public safety teams. The test will be how quickly life returns to normal and how well authorities protect lives and basic services as the threats continue to rise.
