A powerful Mediterranean storm submerged streets and disrupted travel in Spain on Sunday after claiming the life of a woman outside Barcelona and trapping residents.
Weather agency AEMET had issued warnings for torrential rain as the storm approached on Saturday, issuing the highest red alert in the eastern region of Valencia, scarred by Spain's deadliest floods in a generation in 2024.
Emergency services in the regions of Valencia, Catalonia, Andalusia and the Balearic Islands, which include the holiday hotspots of Mallorca and Ibiza, reported hundreds of incidents linked to flooded homes, roads, fallen trees and material damage.
The Catalan fire service announced that a woman who had fallen into a stream on Saturday in Cabrera de Mar, around 25 kilometers (15 miles) northeast of Barcelona, was found dead in the sea.
Mass telephone alerts were sent in Valencia as well as Ibiza and neighboring Formentera, urging the population to avoid unnecessary travel and exercise caution.
In Ibiza, roads were transformed into lakes of murky water on which giant refuse bins floated, partially submerging cars, and beach resorts that concentrate the island's famous nightclub scene were deserted.
The main motorway to Ibiza airport was closed, with at least five flights cancelled, 16 diverted and others delayed, according to operator Aena.
The army deployed its emergencies unit from the mainland to help deal with the emergency in Ibiza and Mallorca.
In the Andalusian province of Almeria, the emergency services said the deluge left "people isolated by the water" and reported "37 rescues" since Saturday.
Outside the popular tourist destination of Malaga on Saturday night, 10 people were trapped in the tunnel of a beach promenade as the water surged above their ankles, forcing firefighters to save them, they said.
Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying the Mediterranean storms that typically hit eastern Spain in autumn as the sea absorbs heat during the summer, leading to increased evaporation and heavier rainfall.
This week, AEMET announced that last month was mainland Spain's hottest September on record, after the country registered its warmest summer between June and August.
