The unprecedented storm that hits Catalonia this weekend leaves two dead in Tordera and Montornès del Vallès (Barcelona), a third missing in Pineda and 130 rescued by firefighters from cars and vehicles. Also numerous warnings due to the risk of river overflowing, including the Besòs as it passes through Santa Coloma, next to Barcelona.
"The situation continues to be complicated, especially from the middle of Catalonia to the north. It is necessary to maintain maximum caution and follow the instructions of the authorities," warned the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, on social networks.
The victim from Tordera is a 75-year-old man who died due to the fall of a wall in a caravan area due to the effects of the storm and the torrential rains that have violently hit the community in recent hours. The deceased from Montornès would have disappeared after going down to his private garage to look for the car and the Firefighters have confirmed the fatal discovery after receiving the notification at 7:13 a.m.
In addition, the Firefighters are trying to locate another missing person in the surroundings of the Pineda de Mar stream, one of the areas where it has rained the most in recent hours.
For its part, Civil Protection has sent two ES-Alerts due to the risk of overflowing the Besòs at around 9:00 a.m., and the Ridaura rivers (as they pass through Santa Cristina d'Aro) and Daró (in La Bisbal) at 12 p.m., which are the most worrying at the moment in the Girona area. The notices urge citizens who live nearby to avoid ground floors and basements and go to the upper floors of buildings in case the water reaches them.
Furthermore, they ask the population of these municipalities not to approach the river under any circumstances, and the same has been done in Calonge and Sant Antoni due to the flooding of the rivers.
This Sunday, the final stretch of the Besòs River carries a flow of 903 cubic meters per second with a height of 3.5 meters as it passes through Santa Coloma de Gramanet (Barcelona), a level much higher than the safety level.
In addition, Civil Protection has sent mobile phones in the regions of Vallès Oriental, Maresme and the entire coast to Baix Empordà to remind that mobility is prohibited until the exceptional episode of rain ends.
On the other hand, the Government has lifted mobility restrictions in the regions of Alt Penedès, Baix Llobregat, Barcelonès, Garraf, Vallès Occidental, Moianès, Osona (Barcelona), Ripollès (Girona), Alt Camp, Baix Camp, Baix Penedès and Tarragonès (Tarragona), although it asks for "maximum caution" and a last effort from citizens.
Some of the most distressing episodes have been experienced in Maresme and Granollers, hit hard by the strong storm. This past night and early morning, firefighters had to rescue several people from flooded cars in the Congost as it passed through the town. The storm has also caused significant damage in the Rodalies Renfe station area.
Early yesterday, the Catalan Meteorological Service raised the warning for rain in the regions of Tarragona, Barcelona and Girona to the maximum level of danger. In this sense, Civil Protection sent an ES-Alert at 4:47 p.m. to warn of mobility restrictions in twenty regions due to the "exceptional" episode of rain until today at 2:00 p.m. Immediately afterwards, the Government approved a resolution with several measures such as restrictions on mobility and suspension of outdoor activities that involve a concentration of people in the affected areas, those on the coast and the pre-coastal area.
Incidents
The torrential rains that fell tonight in the metropolitan area of Barcelona have left a total of 17,654 customers without electricity supply in Barcelona and some municipalities in its metropolitan area.
