Barcelona Experiences Flooding While Valencia Rescuers Continue Search Operations

The Spanish city of Barcelona was affected by flooding on Monday, as search and rescue efforts persist following severe flooding around Valencia last week. Spain’s state meteorological agency has issued a red alert for torrential rain in parts of Catalonia, with local media displaying footage of vehicles partially submerged on a highway. Portions of Barcelona’s El Prat airport, the country’s second-largest, have been inundated. More than 80 flights have been cancelled or delayed, and rail services have been suspended. A comparable weather event, which brought a year’s worth of rain to the Valencia region last week, has led to at least 217 deaths. On Monday, rescue teams directed their efforts towards searching for missing individuals in underground car parks. The storm trapped many victims in their vehicles on roads and in subterranean areas, such as car parks, tunnels, and garages, where rescue operations are particularly challenging. It is feared that shoppers and workers were caught inside the car park at a shopping mall in Aldaia, on the outskirts of Valencia, as floodwater overwhelmed the vicinity. Police have confirmed that no victims were found in the first 50 vehicles inspected at the location. However, reports suggest these vehicles were discovered near the car park’s entrance, with much of the remaining area still submerged and yet to be explored. Among the deceased were a British couple in their 70s, whose family verified they had been found dead in their car days after the flash floods struck Valencia. As of now, no deaths have been reported in Catalonia. On Monday morning, Spain’s interior minister declined to state how many people were still missing. The European football body Uefa announced that a minute’s silence would be observed at club competition matches “in memory of the victims” and those impacted by the floods. Real Madrid and Barcelona FC are scheduled to play on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Outside the Bonaire shopping mall in Aldaia, decaying piles of debris lined the roads while loud generators pumped water from the mall car park. Spanish police were utilizing drones to gain an initial view of the interior, a police spokesperson stated. When the BBC inquired of a local police officer about the projected duration of the operation, he responded that he could not provide an estimate, but that teams would remain for as long as necessary. As is the situation in many areas of the region devastated by the floods, there is a lack of information. Anger has been expressed regarding a perceived absence of warning and insufficient support from authorities following the floods. On Sunday, the king and queen of Spain were struck with mud and other objects by angry protesters during a visit to the town of Paiporta – one of the worst-affected in the Valencia region. Objects were also thrown at Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who was promptly evacuated. The Civil Guard has initiated an investigation into the chaotic scenes, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska informed public broadcaster TVE. He attributed the instigation of the violence, which resulted in mud splattering the monarchs’ faces and clothes, to “marginal groups.” In a news conference on Monday, the chief of Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit (UME) stated that 500 troops had been pre-deployed to Valencia so they could commence operations as soon as they received authorization. General Francisco Javier Marcos said that upon witnessing the situation worsen, he dispatched alerts to 1,000 soldiers, who traveled overnight “so that by dawn the next day, people of Valencia could see that the armed forces were there.” He added: “You might say we didn’t intervene rapidly. The weather prevented that partially, and secondly, it was a matter of order and discipline. “You might say that doesn’t justify being slow – well look, you can’t bring more chaos to an already very chaotic situation.” Local authorities in Valencia have extended travel restrictions for an additional two days to facilitate the work of the emergency services, canceled school classes, and urged people to work from home. General Marcos noted that traffic congestion on some roads was hindering the distribution of food to the 69 affected municipalities. He stated that the number of troops on the ground had been “scaled up” – with 7,800 expected by 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Monday. These personnel were being supported by 17,000 volunteers and 5,000 army soldiers offering logistical assistance, he said. A warship carrying 104 marine infantry soldiers as well as trucks with food and water docked in Valencia’s port on Monday. General Marcos said the UME was “doing everything we can,” including working double shifts. He added: “We must be disciplined and we must be patient. I know that’s hard, because pain and emotion means that’s not easy.” In Catalonia, the Ministry for Ecology reported that the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) had issued a red alert due to the “extreme danger” of torrential rains. Aemet is warning that up to 8cm of rain could fall across coastal areas into Tuesday morning – but that localized downpours could lead to “very different” accumulations between nearby towns. The flooding in Valencia was caused by a Dana phenomenon – when warm, moist air meets cold air, creating an unstable weather system. Scientists indicate that the effects of climate change exacerbated the floods.