A fierce storm on Sunday signalled the arrival of autumn in Catalonia, leaving travel chaos in its wake. Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted commuter rail services across several lines and forced the cancellation of around 20 flights at Barcelona-El Prat Airport. The downpour also triggered landslides and flooding in different parts of the country.
Civil protection authorities urged caution, advising residents to avoid outdoor activities due to the risk of flash floods and violent thunderstorms. Rodalies, the Catalan commuter rail network, reported significant disruption after rainfall caused infrastructure issues near Garraf station. Services on the R2 South, R14, R15, R16 and R17 lines were hit with delays exceeding half an hour, with some trains to and from Vilanova i la Geltrú cancelled altogether. On the R4 line, trains running to Sant Vicenç de Calders and Manresa also faced lengthy delays, while the R11 line was forced onto a single track after a fallen tree blocked the route.
The storm further complicated air travel. Air traffic controllers at El Prat opted to increase spacing between departures for safety reasons, leading to dozens of delays. Flights bound for London, Berlin, Rome, Lisbon and Nice were among those cancelled.
Barcelona itself avoided an official violent weather warning, but nearby regions including Ripollès, Montsià, Baix Ebre, Anoia and Alt Penedès were placed on alert for hail, strong gusts of wind and sudden squalls.
The storm’s impact highlighted once more the fragility of Catalonia’s transport infrastructure under extreme weather conditions.
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