Climate change

Severe Storms Hit Spain, Two Missing in Catalonia Floods

Published JUL 14 2025

Story

Above: Catalonia, Spain, experiences severe storms, on July 12, 2025, causing major damage and flooding. Image credit: Albert Llop/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The Facts

Two people are missing in Catalonia after torrential rainfall triggered widespread flooding in northeastern Spain on Saturday, with witnesses reporting they saw the pair fall into the Foix River in Cubelles, approximately 50 kilometers from Barcelona.
EuroNews
The Sun
Spain's State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) issued weather warnings for 25 provinces on Saturday, with eight under orange-level alerts for severe storms affecting regions including Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, Huesca, Teruel, Zaragoza and Castellón.
Gazeta Express
Daily Mail
The extreme weather forced the closure of a regional hospital in Vilafranca del Penedès after flooding damaged its electrical system, requiring the evacuation of 71 patients to other medical facilities in the Barcelona area.
EuroNews
The Telegraph
Emergency services received over 700 calls related to flooding incidents, with the majority coming from the southern part of the Barcelona metropolitan area, while train services were suspended across Catalonia for safety reasons.
Dw.Com
Catalan News
The storms were caused by a DANA weather phenomenon, where cold air masses interact with warm Mediterranean waters, producing intense rainfall of up to 100mm per hour in some areas like Tarazona in Zaragoza province.
Gazeta Express
The Times of India
While rain causes floods in parts of the country, other parts are experiencing extreme heatwaves, particularly in the southeastern regions, where temperatures have reached 40 degrees or higher in areas such as Murcia, Alicante, inland Andalusia, and Extremadura.
Gazeta Express
The Sun

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Spain's emergency response system performed admirably under extreme conditions, with military units deployed quickly and comprehensive evacuation procedures executed effectively. The weather warning system successfully alerted residents through mobile phones, and authorities made the right call suspending transport services to prevent casualties.

Dw.Com

Sur in English

Narrative B

These devastating floods highlight the urgent need for better climate adaptation measures across Europe. The DANA storm system demonstrates how extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, putting lives at risk and overwhelming emergency services. Spain's infrastructure clearly wasn't prepared for such rapid-onset flooding.

The Times of India

Catalan News