One Dead as Torrential Rains Hit Spain and France

At least one person has died in Catalonia on Sunday, following torrential rains that swept through the region in northeastern Spain, causing widespread disruption to rail and air travel.

Firefighters discovered a body in a river in the town of Sant Pere de Riudebitlles, near Barcelona, while searching for two individuals whose car was reportedly swept away by floodwaters.

“The authorities are investigating whether it belongs to one of the individuals sought in the ongoing search, or if it is the victim of an unrelated incident,” officials reported on X.

The heavy rainfall extended into southeastern France, causing power outages affecting around 10,000 homes.

• Marseille Airport had to reroute around a dozen flights to other cities.
• Various sports fixtures were postponed, including a football derby between Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain, which has been delayed until Monday.

In Catalonia, emergency services rescued 27 people trapped at the Sant Joan funicular near the Montserrat Monastery, northwest of Barcelona, following a landslide, according to the regional civil protection service.

• Dozens of flights to and from Barcelona Airport, Spain’s second-busiest, were either delayed or cancelled.
• Commuter rail services were temporarily suspended on some routes due to landslides and fallen trees.

The Spanish national weather office (AEMET) reported rainfall of up to 40 litres per square metre (nearly one gallon per square foot) in just 30 minutes in parts of Catalonia.

This heavy rainfall echoes the devastating floods of October last year in Valencia, which claimed 225 lives and caused extensive destruction—the country’s deadliest flood disaster in decades.

Experts warn that climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events, as a warmer atmosphere holds more water, raising the risk of flooding.

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