A man was found dead in Olivella after his car was swept away by floodwaters. Emergency services searched for hours following a red alert for torrential rain. The incident highlights the severe impact of sudden storms in Catalonia.
Emergency crews in Olivella, a town in the Garraf area near Barcelona, recovered the body of a man whose car was destroyed and carried off by floodwaters overnight. The search ended when the victim was found in a stream, about 500 meters from where his vehicle had been swept away and left in pieces by the force of the water. According to RTVE and La Vanguardia, the Mossos d’Esquadra confirmed the man was the driver, found some distance from the wrecked car.
The incident happened as the Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (Aemet) issued a red alert for torrential rain along the Barcelona coast. Rainfall topped 90 liters per square meter in less than an hour, causing flash floods and sudden surges in local streams. Authorities warned residents to avoid travel, follow official instructions, and call emergency services if needed. Olivella’s municipal authorities had already published an INUNCAT warning for intense rain and possible flooding for September 16–17, so the risk was known in advance.
At 23:06, Protecció Civil sent an Es-Alert emergency notification to residents' phones in Garraf and neighboring counties, warning of heavy rain and flash flood risk until 01:00.
At 23:03, a witness called emergency services after seeing a car plunge into the swollen stream. The response was immediate: eleven units from the Bombers de la Generalitat, the GRAESub underwater support group, and drones were sent to the scene. Early reports suggested a woman might have disappeared after trying to escape the car, according to Joan Ramon Cabello, deputy director of Civil Protection for the Generalitat, speaking on TV3. Later, the search focused on the area around the destroyed car and the watercourse. As reported by ARA and other sources, it was clarified that the search was for a male driver, not a missing woman.
After hours of searching, rescue teams found the man’s body, later confirmed by the Mossos d’Esquadra as the driver. His identity was not released. The car was found completely wrecked, showing the force of the floodwaters that hit the region overnight. The operation involved 11 specialized units, including underwater and drone support, as detailed by La Vanguardia.
The Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya also issued its highest-level warning for violent weather, rating the risk at 6 out of 6 for the evening and night in the affected counties. The main threat was sudden flooding, especially in streams and areas near water. So far, no other deaths or missing persons have been reported from the storm.
The incident in Olivella coincided with a broader deterioration of weather across eastern Spain, where AEMET had warned of severe rainfall and the danger of sudden flooding. Regional meteorological services classified the threat as extreme, not just a typical local storm.
Barcelona and nearby areas faced major transport problems, with road closures near the Llobregat river and disruptions on the rail network. Residents were told to limit travel and avoid places where water could collect. The alert system sent out messages urging caution and strict attention to safety instructions.
This fatal incident in Olivella shows how vulnerable Catalonia’s infrastructure and communities are to extreme weather. As episodes of intense rainfall become more common, local authorities face growing pressure to respond quickly and coordinate rescue efforts. The events in Garraf underline the need for emergency preparedness and public awareness, especially as meteorological agencies continue to warn of extraordinary risks in the region.
