Heavy rain lashes Spain, leaving woman missing

Heavy rain swept through Spain's Mediterranean east on Thursday, leaving one woman missing as the country experienced its hottest summer on record and an unusually warm start to September. Torrential downpours submerged streets and disrupted travel across the nation, prompting national weather agency AEMET to issue warnings for heavy rain in eastern regions.

Joan Ramon Cabello, prevention subdirector at Catalan Civil Protection, confirmed that a woman was swept away by water in a vehicle while trying to escape a stream near Olivella, about 40 kilometers west of Barcelona. Regional police are now searching for her. Authorities advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel and exercise extreme caution, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warning of complicated situations on X. The storm caused over 850 incidents in Catalonia, Valencia, and Almeria, including closed metro stations, diverted buses, disrupted regional trains, and delayed or cancelled flights at Barcelona's El Prat airport.

In Valencia, the emergency services received more than 478 incidents, mainly due to property damage, leaks, and traffic disruption. The city's metro lines were suspended, and the airport was closed for hours, leading to 12 flight diversions. Some football matches were postponed due to waterlogged pitches. Scientists attribute the intensified Mediterranean storms to human-driven climate change, which is causing the sea to absorb heat during the summer, leading to increased evaporation and heavier rainfall.