Barcelona’s airport has been hit by the brutal storms that have caused flooding across Spain. The storms have dumped water on the city, causing flash flooding at the city’s main airport El-Prat and in the surrounding areas.
A ‘red’ alert has been issued for rain from the country’s weather service warning locals not to travel ‘unless strictly necessary’. Passengers at the airport have been seen wading through the water as it courses into the terminal.
Live departures board show a number flights into and out of El-Prat have been cancelled so far today. Most which are still running have been delayed significantly, including British Airways and Iberia Airlines services to London, reports the Mirror.
In a statement released by Aena, who manage El-Prat, the company confirmed: “The Airport has set up its Crisis Committee to constantly monitor the impact of strong storms. The operations of JT Barcelona El Prat Airport have been affected by the strong storms affecting the Barcelona coastline and, very severely, the Baix Llobregat region.
“So far, 17 arrival flights have been diverted to alternative airports, while around fifty departure flights have been cancelled by airlines or are experiencing considerable delays. The Airport has set up its Crisis Committee to constantly monitor the impact of the strong storms, which are also affecting some areas of the terminals where some water has entered, mainly in the public area of Terminal 1 and in the car park.
“The storms are also affecting some accesses to the Airport. To facilitate the mobility of vehicles, barriers have been opened in those parking areas that require alternative exits. The Rodalies and Metro services to access the Airport have been suspended by their respective operators. Departing passengers are being channelled so that they can access alternative means of transport.”
Authorities are scrambling to deal with the weather chaos. Mobile phones in Barcelona alert warning sent an alert to those living in the city ‘extreme and continued rainfall’ is due to hit the southern outskirts of the city. Video footage shows water streaming into Barcelona Airport’s departures hall and pouring from ceilings.
One passenger currently stuck at the airport, Craig, said: “[I am] currently stuck at the airport terminal, flight was scheduled for 13:40 with arrival at 15:10 and is now showing as 19:10 departure with 20:40 arrival.”
The 34-year-old was due to travel back to Birmingham today, but instead has been left stuck at the airport with “no information on the boards about our flights”. “We’ve had to check apps/websites for information. Nobody from RyanAir has contacted us, nothing about compensation for food/drinks,” he added.
“[The] airport is busy, people are sat about on floors. Airport runways look relatively dry which is frustrating.”
The recurrent storms in eastern Spain led to massive flooding last week and killed over 200 people, mostly near the Valencia area. Today they dumped rain on Barcelona, prompting authorities to suspend commuter rail service. Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente confirmed he was suspending all commuter trains in northeast Catalonia, a region with eight million people, on request from civil protection officials.
Puente said the rains had already forced air traffic controllers to change the course of 15 flights operating at Barcelona’s airport, located on the southern flank of the city. Several highways have been also closed due to flooding. School classes were cancelled in Tarragona, a city in southern Catalonia about halfway between Barcelona and Valencia, after a red alert for rains was issued.
Meanwhile, in Valencia, the search continued for bodies of missing people inside houses and thousands of wrecked cars strewn in the streets, on highways, and in canals that channelled last week’s deluge into populated areas. Citizens, volunteers and thousands of soldiers and cops are helping in the gargantuan clean-up effort of mud and debris.
It was reported today two elderly Brits who died after the flooding in Valencia have been identified by their heartbroken daughter.
Ruth O’Loughlin, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, confirmed the bodies of her tragic parents, 78-year-old Don Turner and his wife Terry, 74, were found in their car after flooding hit Valencia on Tuesday. Intense rainfall in the Spanish region has caused several feet worth of water to pool on city streets.
Mr and Mrs Turner are among three Brits confirmed dead from the floods, with a local mayor announcing their bodies were discovered over the weekend. Andoni Leon, the mayor of Pedralba, confirmed yesterday, Sunday, October 3, that local volunteers had found the bodies in the small town, which is around 45 minutes from Valencia.
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