Intense and slow-moving thunderstorms broke out across parts of eastern Spain on Wednesday afternoon, causing severe flooding and killing at least one person. The storms first affected the Castilla-La Mancha region before moving to Spain’s east coast, where they became very slow-moving and continued overnight.
Torrential rainfall, strong winds, and large hail were reported in Valencia and Barcelona, leading to widespread flooding. Weather stations west of Barcelona recorded over 100mm of rain in a few hours, with 70mm falling in just 30 minutes in the early hours of Thursday morning. Cars and roads were submerged, and flights were cancelled across the region.
The body of a man was found on Thursday near Olivella, west of Barcelona, after his car was swept away. Wednesday’s La Liga fixture between Levante and Athletic Club was postponed due to flooding at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia.