Spain continues to be hit by heavy rain. After the floods in the Valencia region, which caused over 200 victimsthe weather alert has moved to Catalonia, in particular to the province of Barcelona, where a red alert was issued on Monday 4 November.
The torrential rains, which began during the night between Sunday and Monday, caused serious disruption in the city and in the province. In Tarragona, about 90 kilometers west of Barcelona, and in some towns near Barcelona airport flooding occurred. The weather service Meteocat recorded one hundred millimeters of rain overnight in the province of Tarragona.
In Barcelona, streets turned into rivers, flooding underpasses and metro stations. Several metro lines were closed or suffered interruptions, creating significant traffic problems. The railway network was also affecteda, with the suspension of high-speed trains and regional trains. The Spanish Minister of Transport, Oscar Puenteordered the suspension of all commuter trains in the north-east of Catalonia.
On the second weekend, November 4th, at El Prat Airport, in Barcelona, Spain, there will be heavy traffic due to the intense noise coming from the region.
The city is very alert, with floods causing travel to different points from the Catalan metro.
Nas… pic.twitter.com/7lGL3G661m
— O Bairrista
(@O_Bairrista) November 4, 2024
The airport El Prat it was heavily affected by floods. The water poured into the terminals and onto the runways, causing the cancellation of 50 flights and the diversion of another 17. Passengers were advised to contact the airlines to check the status of their flights and not to go to the airport unless strictly necessary. Aena, the airport’s management company, said it had set up a “crisis committee” to manage the consequences of the heavy rains.
The regional government of Catalonia sent the alarm for the weather warning to the mobile phones of residents of Barcelona and the areas of Baix Llobregat, Garraf, Maresme, Vallès Oriental and Vallès Occidental, inviting them to limit their travel. Schools were closed and work activities suspended.
Search and rescue operations for missing people continue in the Valencia region. The focus is on an underground car park in Aldaiawhere it is feared that more bodies may be found. The firefighters searched the area with canoes, drones and on foot, verifying that at the moment there are no victims inside the car park.
– The Roman dam of Almonacid de la Cuba, in Zaragoza, was built more than 2,000 years ago, in the 1st century AD, during the reign of Augustus, and remains in operation today.
Considered one of the best preserved Roman dams, it is also the tallest of its time, reaching… pic.twitter.com/9ShiKON9uE
—
The Informant (@theinformant_x) October 31, 2024
In this scenario of chaos and worry, however, a story of resilience and ingenuity emerges. A small village in the autonomous community of Aragon, Almonacid de la Cubamanaged to escape the worst thanks to a 2,000-year-old ancient Roman dam, built in the 1st century AD to irrigate the surrounding fields.
Heavy rains caused the Aguasvivas river to flood, but thanks to the ancient dam, which diverted the excess water along the side of a hill, the village was protected from floods. No damage and no injuries in the town, unlike the neighboring towns which suffered serious damage.
