One dead after torrential rain and flash floods hit Barcelona region

North-eastern Spain has been hit by torrential rain and flash floods, leaving one person dead and causing widespread disruption throughout the region.

Key points

• Emergency services in Catalonia remarked they received more than 850 calls related to the downpours and catalogued over 500 incidents.
• Neighbouring Valencia, had more than 70mm (2.76in) of rain fell in just half an hour in a number of municipalities, according to AVAMET.
• Emergency services documented 478 incidents in the Valencia province, mostly involving property damage, leaks and traffic disruption.
• The flooding comes less than two years after devastating flooding in Valencia killed more than 230 individuals.
• Spain's national weather agency AEMET issued warnings for heavy rain throughout eastern regions on Wednesday, including a red alert for Barcelona's coastline.

After his car was swept away by a stream, authorities remarked, rescuers recovered the body of a man on Thursday in Olivella, around 40km (25 miles) west of Barcelona.

For context, the deluge has disrupted travel throughout Catalonia and Valencia, with flights cancelled and roads submerged. While Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez cautioned of "very complicated situations", authorities have advised against unnecessary travel.

Catalan firefighters remarked on X on Thursday that they had recovered the "lifeless body of a man" in Olivella, correcting earlier reports that had identified the missing person as a woman.

Videos shared on social media indicated partially submerged cars and rescue workers attempting to reach a vehicle trapped in a heavily flooded underpass.

While regional trains were disrupted and flights delayed or cancelled at El Prat airport, in Barcelona, some metro stations were closed and buses diverted.

"Rarely have we seen such rainfall accumulations in 30 minutes, " the meteorological association remarked on X.

In the regional capital, all metro lines were suspended and the city's airport shuttered for a number of hours, causing flights to be diverted.

Meanwhile, the downpour comes as Spain emerges from its hottest summer on record and an exceptionally warm start to September.

Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying the Mediterranean storms that typically hit eastern Spain in autumn.

For context, the Mediterranean Sea absorbs heat during summer, increasing evaporation and contributing to heavier rainfall when storms develop.

Meanwhile, the flooding comes less than two years after devastating flooding in Valencia killed more than 230 individuals.

In short, one dead after torrential rain and flash floods hit Barcelona region is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.