Fresh storms batter Catalonia as alerts expand to 25 counties

· Environment ESP
Part of Europe Heatwave

Severe thunderstorms raked Catalonia again on Monday, prompting the region's meteorological service to extend danger warnings for heavy rain to 25 counties and authorities to keep the Inuncat flood plan on alert. High-danger warnings were issued for six Pyrenean counties in Lleida, with hailstones exceeding five centimetres possible, while moderate alerts stretched across central Catalonia and the Ebro basin. Forecasts warned of more than 40 litres per square metre in 30 minutes in parts of western Lleida by afternoon.

Firefighters fielded 129 storm-related calls in just 90 minutes, most in Tarragona province, as downpours flooded avenues in the city of Tarragona. The emergency 112 line logged 373 calls by evening, with 70% concentrated in the Tarragonès county. Regional president Salvador Illa said the storms remained very intense and were advancing northward, with a powerful cell entering the Barcelona metropolitan area.

The renewed weather follows Saturday's unprecedented rainfall on the Costa Daurada that left 11 injured, after which Justice Minister Ramon Espadaler acknowledged precipitation had exceeded forecasts but defended the government's预警 decisions.

Story development

  1. Fresh storms batter Catalonia as alerts expand to 25 counties
  2. Torrential rains kill and injure seven in Spain's Costa Dorada region

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