A rare storm with tropical features has battered Catalonia, killing two people and leaving one missing. Torrential rain shattered records, flooding towns and forcing evacuations as emergency crews raced to respond. The region now faces a slow recovery from widespread damage.
Floodwaters tore through Catalonia overnight. Two people are dead. One person is still missing. Meteorologists called the storm “tropical” in nature. Tordera and Montornès del Vallès, both in Barcelona province, took the hardest hit. Streets and homes filled with water in minutes. Reuters and Euronews confirmed a man died in Tordera when a wall collapsed. Another death was reported in Montornès del Vallès. In Pineda de Mar, search teams are still looking for someone swept away by the floods. The risk has not passed.
By Sunday afternoon, most of the twenty affected comarcas had their movement bans lifted. But Alt Empordà and Baix Empordà stayed locked down until at least 21:00. Flood risks and swollen rivers kept those restrictions in place. The damage was immediate. Rail lines on the Rodalies network stopped running. At least eight schools said they would stay closed on Monday because of heavy damage. Catalan News reported that local officials kept movement bans in the worst-hit areas. Rivers still threatened to overflow again.
Meteorological agency Meteocat had issued red-level warnings, forecasting over 90 mm of rain in just three hours and, in some locations, more than 200 mm during the storm episode.
Emergency crews worked nonstop. They rescued people and helped with evacuations as rain kept falling. The Red Cross said it helped more than 4,000 people during the worst hours. Floodwater forced the Hospital Comarcal de la Selva to move patients out of its emergency area. The search for a young man in the riera of Pineda de Mar continues. The danger is not over. EFE and Reuters reported that fire and rescue teams are still in the area. They keep searching and helping, even as the weather calms.
Officials are warning people to stay alert. Most restrictions are gone, but the northeast still faces flood threats. Repairs will take time. The storm hit daily life hard. Transport, schools, and hospitals all suffered in just a few hours. Reuters and Euronews reported that public transport was badly disrupted. Hospitals in flood zones had to evacuate patients. Several facilities remain closed.
ARA reported that some areas in northeastern Catalonia recorded several hundred millimeters of rainfall, leading to historic hydrological records and a sharp rise in the Besòs river level, confirming the event's extreme nature.
This is not the first time the Mediterranean has seen wild weather. Recent reports showed record storms just missing Valencia. This time, Catalonia took the full hit. The storm exposed weak spots in local infrastructure and emergency plans.
The worst may be over, but the damage is only starting to show. Lives lost. One person still missing. Thousands forced from their homes or left with flooded property. The need for better preparation is clear. Catalonia’s ordeal shows that extreme weather is here now. It demands real action and stronger systems.
