Rescue teams in Pineda de Mar have resumed their search for a young man swept away by floodwaters after a weekend of intense rain. The operation paused overnight and now faces fresh challenges as heavy rain returns to the region.
Rescue teams resumed the search for a young man swept away by floodwaters in Pineda de Mar at 08:00 Monday, after suspending operations overnight. The Bombers de la Generalitat returned to the riera as more rain hit the Catalan coast, further complicating the search.
The incident began early Sunday, when a witness saw someone fall into the riera, the seasonal stream that runs through town. The current was strong. The person disappeared in seconds. Emergency services received the call at 08:45, and teams searched along the swollen waterway for hours. Darkness and dangerous conditions forced them to stop as night fell. The search resumed Monday morning, with authorities working as storms threatened the area.
Marine and aerial units joined the operation, including the Helimer 220 helicopter and Salvamar Sirius rescue boat, to cover the possible drift from the riera to the sea, LaCiutat reported.
The storm system behind the disaster had not let up. New downpours kept several coastal districts on high alert and complicated the work of the Bombers de la Generalitat. Reuters reported that Catalan authorities declared a red alert and told people to stay inside all weekend because of the risk of severe storms.
Floods are common in Mediterranean towns such as Pineda de Mar, but this weekend’s rainfall underscored the danger for people living near the riera. Several media outlets reported that the young man may have gone to watch the water, then slipped and been swept away near IES Joan Corominas.
The search continues as the weather worsens. Rescuers are trying to find the missing man and prevent further tragedy. The incident has added pressure on Catalonia’s emergency services as increasingly hard-to-predict storms continue to threaten the region. Euronews reported that firefighters responded to more than 1,500 calls related to flooding and heavy rain across Catalonia during the same period; at least two people died, and another person was reported missing in the region. The next few hours will test rescue teams and people in the path of Spain’s severe weather.
