The body of a man swept away by a flash flood near Barcelona was found in the early morning hours, Spain’s Emergency Services announced, as the Iberian Peninsula’s Mediterranean coast is being battered by heavy rainfall, causing widespread flooding.

The storms occurred as the country had been facing an exceptionally dry September until yesterday, following a summer of record-breaking temperatures, according to the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET).

The Catalan Fire Department reported via X that “it had located the lifeless body of a man” in the village of Olivella, about forty kilometers west of Barcelona, a few hours after Civil Protection announced that a woman was missing.

The victim was found behind the wheel of a car that had been “swept away” by a torrential stream, the same source clarified.

Traffic is blocked on the Ronda de Dalt near Exit 2 (Llobregat) and Exit 3 (Besòs).
Entrances 1, 2, and 3 (Llobregat) are closed.
Firefighters and GUB are working at the scene. pic.twitter.com/SacQsKx3Lk

— Barcelona City Council (@bcn_ajuntament) September 16, 2026

AEMET had issued warnings yesterday about heavy rain in the eastern part of the country and had declared a a “red alert” for a short time in Barcelona due to the risk of flash flooding.

Authorities urged residents of Catalonia and Valencia to avoid any travel that is not absolutely necessary and to exercise extreme caution. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez referred, via X, to “very complex situations.”

Images that look increasingly tropical.
Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona#rain #weather #barcelona pic.twitter.com/7swM9y9hdJ

— Lola Surribas (@lolasurribas) September 16, 2026

In Barcelona, subway stations were closed, and buses altered their routes as streets were flooded. The regional railway authority faced problems, and there were flight delays and cancellations at Barcelona Airport, Spain’s second-busiest airport.

The downpours are also intense in the Horta neighborhood of Barcelona, where some streets have been floodedhttps://t.co/jvJHFl9Brw pic.twitter.com/CKNRdNC9w0

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— 3CatInfo (@3CatInfo) September 16, 2026

Catalan emergency services received over 850 calls related to the weather events and reported more than 500 incidents.

In neighboring Valencia, which was devastated by floods in 2024 that left more than 230 people dead, the meteorological service reported 70 millimeters of rainfall in just half an hour in various communities. Emergency response services reported 478 incidents in the province, mainly involving property damage, traffic problems, and flooded homes or water leaks.

In the city of Valencia, all metro lines suspended service, as did the airport for several hours, leading to the diversion of 12 flights, according to the airport operator AENA.

#valencia right now… we never learn… pic.twitter.com/rHGNAEVriP

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— Raúl Jiménez (@Raulet_jimenez) September 16, 2026

Scientists estimate that climate change caused by human activity is intensifying the Mediterranean storms that typically hit Spain in the fall.

New images from Torrent, Valencia. pic.twitter.com/pywsj5222o

— 𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐍̃𝐀 𝐍𝐎 𝐒𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄 (@espnosevende) September 16, 2026

Source: CNA