On Friday, October 2, the city moved its municipal emergency plan into the alert phase after intense rain. Poor drainage added to the danger, as rising water threatened routes where even a short journey could become risky.
Residents were told to avoid flood-prone areas and bring indoors any outdoor objects that water could sweep away. Torrents and channels can fill quickly, as can underpasses and other low-lying routes.
Protecció Civil activated the INUNCAT plan in alert mode as the wider episode developed. The most adverse window forecast for October 1 was approximately 14:00 to 20:00, with severe conditions potentially continuing into October 2.
Drivers faced particular risks. They should slow down and brake gently, stopping when conditions require it. Vehicles must not enter flooded stretches or remain in torrents and other areas liable to flooding. Drivers should also keep a safe distance from other vehicles. Never cross moving or accumulated water when another route exists.
If water immobilises a vehicle, reaches a dangerous level on the road or rises to the axle, occupants should get out and move to higher ground. A car can lose stability or become impossible to move even when the water first looks shallow.
The episode extended beyond a local Barcelona warning. Catalan News reported more than 250 mm of rain in southern Catalonia, while Meteocat issued a maximum level 6 out of 6 rainfall-intensity warning there during the morning of October 2.
At home, residents should close doors and windows, then inspect roofs and lightning conductors. They should also check drains and downpipes. Clear accumulated rubbish and disconnect electrical appliances. Move furniture and other loose objects indoors before runoff can carry them away.
Meteocat warnings during the episode put some downpours at up to 40 litres per square metre in 30 minutes. In the most exposed zones, forecast thresholds reached up to 90 litres per square metre in three hours and more than 200 litres per square metre in 24 hours.
Southern Catalonia and the Terres de l'Ebre faced the highest risk. Coastal and foothill areas around Barcelona were also included, with Barcelonès and Maresme among the areas named as facing increased risk. Urban drainage routes, low points and small watercourses needed particular care.
Pets should be brought inside, and toxic products stored where floodwater cannot reach them. Keep impressive medicines and warm clothing ready, along with personal documents. A mobile phone and charger should also be on hand to reduce the need to go outside during the worst conditions.
Lower parts of a property need extra care. Residents should not go down to basements or garages during the episode. If water enters the home, turn off the basic electricity switch. Anyone in an unsafe building should leave, close the door and move to higher ground nearby.
People caught outside should take shelter in a safe building and close its doors and windows. Walking across a flooded route is no safer than driving through one. The warning also covers streams and drainage channels, as well as underpasses and any place that regularly collects water.
Emergency ES-Alert messages were sent in the most affected areas as the forecast worsened and the risk of sudden flooding rose. Drainage systems, low roads and small watercourses could overflow quickly.
The Bomberos de Barcelona website provides the full safety guidance for heavy-rain episodes. The advice is to stay indoors when possible, protect homes and leave vehicles before water reaches a critical level.
The alert carries a direct instruction: avoid low-lying routes, secure exposed objects outdoors and treat floodwater as a barrier, not a passage, while the municipal plan remains active.
