Torrential rain has swept across Spain's eastern coastline this week, killing one man and causing serious disruption from Catalonia down to Andalusia, with the worst of the weather now moving towards Murcia.
The fatality happened in Olivella, in Barcelona province, when the driver's car was carried away by a swollen stream on Wednesday night. Firefighters found his body around 500 metres downstream after an overnight search that initially focused on a woman witnesses believed had left the stranded vehicle. Catalan police later confirmed the victim was the male driver.
Barcelona took a hammering on Wednesday. A brief red alert — Spain's highest weather warning level — was triggered over flash flood risk, and Catalonia's emergency lines logged more than 850 calls and over 500 incidents. Water reached part of the Vall d'Hebron Hospital, flooded metro sections and forced bus diversions, while more than 20 flights were cancelled at Barcelona-El Prat and others delayed.
Valencia province saw some of the most extreme rainfall. Monitoring group Avamet recorded over 70 litres per square metre in just 30 minutes in several municipalities, alongside thousands of lightning strikes. The metro was suspended, Valencia airport briefly closed and twelve inbound flights diverted, some to Alicante. Wednesday night's Levante vs Athletic Bilbao La Liga fixture was called off minutes after players came out to warm up — the pitch was waterlogged and water had crept into the players' tunnel.
The intensity inevitably brought back memories of the catastrophic DANA floods of October 2024, which killed more than 230 people, most of them in Valencia province. By Thursday morning Valencia had calmed, but the storm system pushed south.
Spain's weather agency AEMET raised red warnings for Campo de Cartagena and Mazarrón in the Murcia region after more than 60 litres per square metre fell in under an hour. Schools closed in numerous municipalities, and precautionary measures spread to southern Alicante province — Orihuela Costa suspended classes, markets and outdoor activities, while Elche, Santa Pola and Torrevieja took similar steps. The weather also reached eastern Almería in Andalusia, where an ES-Alert phone warning told residents to avoid unnecessary travel, and Mallorca saw heavy rain too.
Why it matters for travellers: if you have flights into Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante or Murcia this week, check their status before setting out — cancellations, diversions and closures have been frequent. ES-Alert emergency messages are being pushed to mobile phones in affected zones; follow them, steer clear of rivers, ravines and underpasses, and don't attempt to drive through flooded roads. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has urged everyone in the affected areas to stick to emergency service guidance and official sources. AEMET is still warning of very heavy showers and thunderstorms around the Valencia and Murcia coasts as the system moves across eastern and southeastern Spain, so keep plans flexible if you're travelling the Mediterranean coast in the coming days.
