Alyssa Mcmurtry
November 04, 2024•Update: November 05, 2024
- AEMET warns of 'extreme danger' for rain, saying areas could receive up to 180 liters per square meter of rain within 24 hours
OVIEDO, Spain
Heavy rains triggered significant flooding and "extreme danger" warnings in the Barcelona area on Monday, as the same storm system that caused devastating Valencia floods remains over Spain.
Authorities issued alerts to cell phones in several areas of the Barcelona province, warning residents to avoid all travel.
“Schools are safe places. Don’t go looking for your children. Workers are advised to stay at their workplaces,” read the alert.
Significant flooding has been observed, particularly in the towns of Gava and Castelldefels, where cars have been filmed floating on a highway.
Around 50 flights to Barcelona have been canceled or significantly delayed, according to Spanish daily El Pais. The government of Catalonia has also suspended all local rail travel in the region.
‘Extreme danger’ warning for rain issued
Spain's meteorological agency AEMET also warned of "extreme danger" for rain, saying areas could receive up to 180 liters per square meter of rain within 24 hours. The Barcelona airport has already received nearly half as much.
The already-flooded Barcelona airport received 150 liters per square meter of rain in four hours, AEMET reported later.
In Catalonia, authorities are hoping to avoid even a fraction of the tragedy that occurred last Tuesday, which was concentrated in the province of Valencia.
There, historic rainfall caused river systems to burst, rapidly turning streets into powerful streams of mud and debris.
Residents were caught off guard and ground-floor homes, garages, cars, and businesses became deadly.
On Monday, Spain’s interior minister said the provisional death toll was 217.
He still declined to say how many people are thought to be missing, saying authorities are still “unable to give a reliable number.”
Valencia remains devastated
Meanwhile, rescue services continue working in the Valencia area to recover more bodies.
Many of the underground parking lots that were rapidly flooded remain full of water nearly six days later.
However, work is underway, including in the parking lot of one of Spain’s largest shopping malls. On Monday morning, firefighters said they had examined 50 cars there but found no human remains.
More humanitarian aid is reaching affected areas, where residents have complained about slow response times.
On Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez admitted that the state must “do better.”
The following day, he was attacked by an angry mob in the devastated town of Paiporta, alongside the Spanish king and queen and the president of Valencia.
On Monday, the interior minister said authorities are investigating the episode, attributing the violence to “marginal” and “organized groups.”
To offer more aid to the victims of the floods, a massive naval ship – the Galicia L51 — arrived at the port of Valencia to bring more military equipment and offer health care support.
As of Monday, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said 7,500 military personnel are now working in the affected areas.
Still, the towns remain covered in mud; cars are still piled up and some areas remain without drinking water or food. As the days pass, risks of infection or other health care problems grow.
“The army is working according to priorities… it is true that we cannot reach everything and we respect and understand the anger of people who are going through a difficult time,” she said in an interview with Spain’s national radio RNE.
