A woman disappeared after being swept away by floodwaters in Olivella during severe storms in Catalonia. Emergency services launched a major search using drones and firefighters. The storm caused widespread transport and power disruptions across Barcelona.
Heavy storms in Catalonia set off a major rescue effort in Olivella, Garraf, after a woman was swept away by floodwaters late Wednesday night. Emergency crews responded quickly, sending 11 fire brigade units and drones to search the swollen riera where the incident happened. The search is focused on the spot where the woman was last seen trying to escape her stranded car before the current carried her away.
The alarm was raised at 23:03, when a witness reported that the woman had left her immobilized car and was immediately caught by the rising water. The Generalitat’s Fire Brigade arrived within minutes and coordinated with Mossos d’Esquadra and other emergency teams to intensify the search. Joan Ramon Cabello, deputy director of Civil Protection, confirmed that efforts to find the missing woman are ongoing. According to Protección Civil, the woman was trapped in her car, which became stuck in the flood, and was swept away after she tried to get out on foot.
Civil Protection sent ES-Alert emergency notifications to mobile phones in affected Catalan regions due to the risk of flash floods and heavy rain.
As the rescue continued, the storm’s impact spread across the Barcelona area. Civil Protection issued an Es-Alert warning to mobile phones in several counties, warning residents about the risk of sudden river and stream surges. The heavy rain led to nearly 200 emergency calls for water buildup, blocked roads, and transport problems. Rail service between Fabra i Puig and Montcada Bifurcació was suspended, and thousands of Barcelona residents lost power as the storm overwhelmed local infrastructure.
Emergency line 112 received 644 calls about 445 separate incidents, most of them in Barcelona and nearby counties. The scale of the response shows how both urban and rural areas are vulnerable during extreme weather. The search in Olivella is one example of the direct danger these conditions can pose, as emergency teams work against time and the elements. Reports from Spanish news agencies said the number of emergency calls and incidents kept rising as the storm went on, with later updates citing 859 calls and 544 incidents as the situation developed.
Meteorological and civil-protection coverage indicated that authorities had issued advance warnings about the high intensity of rainfall and the potential for escalation, but the decision to send ES-Alert notifications depended on the assessed level of danger in each area. The storm also caused significant transport disruptions and widespread power outages in Barcelona and nearby municipalities.
— Protección Civil de la Generalitat
While the search in Garraf continues, the storm has exposed how easily transport and utility networks can be disrupted by severe weather. The pressure on emergency services is similar to challenges seen in other crises, such as those described in the recent investigation into Ceuta’s overcrowded child protection system. Both cases highlight the need for fast coordination and stronger infrastructure to protect vulnerable people during emergencies. As Catalonia recovers, the effectiveness of the emergency response will be judged by the outcome of the search in Olivella and by how well the region can prepare for future storms.
