Catalonia Faces Severe Weather as DANA Brings Intense Rainfall

Barcelona, Spain — A DANA (high-level isolated depression) brought significant rainfall to Catalonia, prompting a very high-risk alert from the Catalan Weather Service (Meteocat) on Saturday. The alert was upgraded to level 5 and 6, the highest available, due to intense rain expected throughout the region.

Initial warnings were set at orange and yellow earlier in the day. However, the forecast quickly worsened, leading authorities to increase the alert level as heavy storms approached. Mobile phone alerts notified residents across Catalonia, advising them to refrain from travel and outdoor activities and to avoid flood-prone areas.

The heaviest rainfall occurred from midday into the afternoon. By 7:30 PM, the red alerts for many areas were lifted, and residents in those zones received notifications that the threat had passed. Despite the improvements, emergency services continued to search for two missing individuals in Cubelles, a town south of Barcelona, where the Foix river overflowed due to excessive rainfall.

Interior Minister Núria Parlon confirmed that firefighters, aided by underwater units and helicopters, are conducting the search in the river. This flooding situation was exacerbated by water released from the Foix reservoir after heavy rain accumulation.

The severe weather caused disruptions in public transport, with all Renfe and Rodalies train services suspended across Catalonia. Rodalies announced at 4 PM that “all rail traffic was halted for safety reasons.” Commuter, regional, and long-distance trains were affected, with several stations closed for crowd control.

Although the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat operated normally, the impact of the storm was felt broadly. Firefighters received over 700 calls related to the severe conditions; a significant number occurred around 4 PM, primarily from the southern Barcelona metropolitan area.

Barcelona City Council activated its flood risk alert, leading to the cancellation of outdoor events at popular venues such as the Tibidabo amusement park, the Zoo, and Park Güell. Lifeguards were removed from beaches, and swimming was prohibited as a safety measure.

DANAs are not uncommon in the Mediterranean, known for their potential to cause heavy rainfall and sudden storms. Officials stress that while caution is necessary, not every occurrence leads to disaster, as many past DANAs have resulted in minimal impacts.

According to experts, recent climate changes contribute to the increasing strength and frequency of these weather phenomena.