Torrential rains kill one, paralyze transport across Barcelona and Valencia

A violent storm system unleashed torrential rain across Catalonia and the Valencia region on the night of 16 September, dropping up to 99 litres per square metre in Barcelona's Horta district and 96.2 l/m² in Chiva, Valencia, in under two hours. The deluge turned streets into rivers, flooded metro stations and a major hospital, and forced the closure of Valencia's Manises airport after two flights were diverted.

Emergency services confirmed one fatality: a man whose car was swept away by a flash flood in a stream near Olivella, in Barcelona's Garraf comarca. Firefighters located his body 500 metres from the vehicle at 01:33 on 17 September after a search involving 11 crews, drones and dive teams. Earlier reports had described a missing woman; authorities corrected the information once the body was recovered.

“The night has been very complicated in the city and throughout the Horta comarca”

Catalonia's Civil Protection sent an ES-Alert to roughly three million phones in the Barcelonès, Maresme, Baix Llobregat, Garraf, Vallès Occidental and Penedès areas at 21:33, warning of "violent weather" and sudden flooding. A second alert reached Valencia province after 22:00. Meteocat raised its danger level to the maximum 6 out of 6 for Baix Llobregat, Garraf and Vallès Occidental.

In Barcelona, the B-20 motorway was cut at Santa Coloma de Gramenet, while the C-58 and C-33 suffered heavy delays. Metro lines L1, L4 and L11 were partially suspended after water cascaded into stations such as Fabra i Puig. At Vall d'Hebron Hospital a false ceiling collapsed and three basements flooded. Catalonia's 112 service handled more than 850 calls and logged over 500 incidents.

Valencia province recorded 478 incidents between 14:00 and midnight. Metrovalència halted all train and tram service due to network flooding; Rodalías lines C1, C2 and C3 also suffered interruptions. In Torrent, 95.8 l/m² fell — 71 l/m² in just 30 minutes — inundating homes and a fast-food premises from which 15 people were evacuated. The feared Barranc del Poyo carried high water but did not overflow.

The Generalitat Valenciana activated Situation 1 of its Special Flood Plan and yellow-level hydro-pre-emergency for several basins. Murcia suspended classes in 15 municipalities for 17 September. The episode revived memories of the deadly DANA of October 2024, though officials said drainage improvements helped prevent a repeat catastrophe.