Emergency crews in Catalonia have recovered the body of a man swept away by floodwaters in Olivella, Barcelona. His car was carried off by a swollen stream, and firefighters found his body about 500 meters downstream. Overnight downpours hit the Catalan coast and foothills, making travel dangerous and, in this case, deadly.
As the storm moves east, the Balearic Islands are on high alert. At 13:24 on Thursday, Protección Civil sent a mass warning to mobile phones in Ibiza and Formentera, urging people to prepare for heavy rain and strong winds. Aemet meteorologists warned of possible further torrential showers in Cartagena and Mazarrón, where red alerts had earlier been issued for rainfall of up to 60 litres per square metre in an hour.
Valencia’s emergency coordination centre received 1,080 storm-related calls between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, including 606 from the city of Valencia alone. The centre also handled 1,080 storm-related incidents between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. More than half came from the city of Valencia. Most emergencies involved pumping water from flooded buildings, alongside rescues of stranded vehicles and clearance of blocked roads. Regional emergency services say the figures show the scale of disruption across the Valencian Community.
Schools in several regions closed for the day. Valencia’s airport and metro were temporarily shut, while rail services and highways were disrupted, leaving thousands of commuters and students stranded. Authorities have repeatedly urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, especially in the hardest-hit areas of Ibiza, Formentera, Murcia and the Valencian Community. Official guidance from Protección Civil and regional governments stresses the need to stay away from riverbeds, ravines and low-lying areas because flash-flood risks remain.
Salvador Illa, president of the Generalitat, offered condolences for the loss of life and thanked communities for following safety advice. He also highlighted the growing need to prepare as climate change brings more frequent and severe weather events to Spain.
In Catalonia, civil protection alerts expanded in stages as the risk of flash floods rose. Initial Es-Alert messages went out at 21:30 to Barcelonès and Maresme. At 23:10, alerts followed for Garraf, Baix Llobregat, Vallès Occidental, Alt Penedès and Baix Penedès.
With the storm’s centre shifting toward the Balearics, the risk of further flooding and transport problems remains high. Aemet expects torrential rain and hail to continue through the day, with strong winds also forecast. Ibiza and Formentera are under an orange alert, with up to 50 litres of rain per square metre in an hour forecast as the storm’s most intense activity moves over the Balearic Islands.
The episode highlights the vulnerability of Spain’s eastern regions to extreme weather and the need for stronger infrastructure and a faster emergency response. As climate patterns change, local authorities’ and communities’ ability to adapt will shape the impact of future storms and how many lives can be protected.
