Severe flooding struck the northern Costa Daurada in the early hours of Saturday, catching local authorities and residents off guard. More than 400 people were evacuated and eleven injured, including one child in critical condition, after rainfall far exceeded official forecasts. Emergency services answered hundreds of calls as water flooded streets and homes, along with public spaces across several municipalities in Tarragona province.
The worst-hit areas included El Vendrell, Roda de Berà, Creixell and Torredembarra, where rainfall reached up to 145.4 litres per square metre in 24 hours. In El Vendrell, emergency teams evacuated a nightclub and helped motorists who were trapped. In Roda de Berà, a collapsed wall near the port injured a family. The water uprooted trees and swept away vehicles, while also damaging urban infrastructure.
Despite the scale of the event, residents received no Es-Alert warning on their mobile phones. The Generalitat defended its forecasting, saying the Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya had not registered a risk level high enough to trigger the alert system at the time. Civil Protection praised the swift response from local police and firefighters. Emergency medical teams also carried out dozens of rescues and evacuations throughout the night.
The special flood emergency plan, Inuncat, remained active as authorities monitored the situation and assessed when normal conditions could return, Civil Protection said. The area’s terrain, with steep torrents and streams flowing directly to the sea, complicated rescues and accelerated the buildup of water. Ongoing construction work intended to improve water flow during heavy rains also created additional challenges for emergency teams.
Many summer visitors found their vehicles submerged in flooded car parks, while the deluge abruptly interrupted local festivities and summer celebrations. In two campgrounds in Roda de Berà and Creixell, nearly 300 people were evacuated as water levels rose unexpectedly. Residents and tourists voiced frustration over the lack of advance warning, saying better information could have prevented some of the damage.
Emergency services received nearly 700 calls to 112 throughout the night. Firefighters handled 200 incidents, while the Servei d’Emergències Mèdiques carried out 35 medical interventions. El Vendrell Mayor Kenneth Martínez said restoring order and safety was now the priority, with the immediate risk past. Roda de Berà Mayor Pere Virgili described the destruction of road signs and beaches as unprecedented in his lifetime.
These events follow a pattern of increasingly frequent extreme weather in Spain, as highlighted in recent coverage of rare August storms affecting northern regions. Experts point to climate change as a factor behind the rise in sudden, intense rainfall episodes, which challenge forecasting systems and emergency preparedness. The Costa Daurada flooding has renewed calls for better alerts and infrastructure adaptation as extreme weather becomes more common across the country.
A separate episode associated with DANA Adam later brought heavy-rain forecasts for Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands. In Catalonia, the Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya issued an orange rainfall warning for 14 counties, including Baix Penedès, Tarragonès, Alt Camp and Baix Camp, citing the possibility of more than 40 litres per square metre in 30 minutes. Forecasts also called for up to 60 litres per square metre in three hours in some areas and more than 100 litres per square metre over roughly 24 hours. Protecció Civil kept Inuncat in its alert phase and advised people to avoid unnecessary journeys and stay away from streams, torrents and flood-prone areas, where water levels can rise rapidly. El Periódico and Diari de Girona reported rescues and motorists trapped in vehicles during that later episode.
Inuncat is Catalonia’s dedicated flood-emergency plan, designed to coordinate responses to inundation risks. Its later activation amid forecasts of widespread, potentially torrential rain highlighted the plan’s operational role. Meanwhile, the Costa Daurada flooding renewed debate over how authorities assess fast-developing risks and communicate warnings to residents and visitors. As recovery efforts continue, local governments are expected to review procedures and consider updates to improve protection during future incidents.
