The Barcelona City Council continues to work on restoring normalcy after the intense rain episode that affected the city this morning. Based on meteorological forecasts, the Municipal Emergency Action Plan for Drainage Insufficiency Risk was activated yesterday afternoon in alert phase, to proactively coordinate municipal services.
The intense rain episode affected the entire city, with an average of 50 l/m2 collected. The highest values were recorded in neighborhoods such as Nou Barris, Zona Universitària, Sants, Vall d’Hebron, Sarrià, and Vallvidrera, where accumulated rainfall reached 100 l/m2. This episode stood out for its extent, duration, and intensity.
The city's reservoirs operated at full capacity, reaching a historic record of 90% of their total capacity. Six out of the 15 operational reservoirs exceeded this percentage, particularly those in Vilalba dels Arcs, Bori i Fontestà, and Urgell, while the rest are between 60% and 90%.
Emergency and maintenance services acted in a coordinated manner to address incidents, mainly related to flooded premises and basements, water ingress into buildings, and the removal of potentially hazardous elements.
The Prevention, Extinction of Fires and Rescue Service (SPEIS) received 249 service requests starting from 11:30 AM. By 3:00 PM, Barcelona firefighters had carried out 66 operational responses.
Regarding mobility, the most significant disruptions were registered on the ring roads. The Caçador tunnel on the B-20 has reopened in the Besòs direction, while the Llobregat direction remained temporarily closed for cleaning tasks due to mud and sediment accumulation.
The public transport network also experienced disruptions, with partial services on several metro lines such as L3, L4, L5, L9 Sud, and L11, and issues at stations like Arc de Triomf (L1). Bus line reinforcements, such as the H8 and D20, have been activated.
Several municipal facilities were affected. The Vil·la Florida Civic Center suspended its activities, the Vallvidrera Civic Center closed its assembly hall, and the Casal de Sant Ramon temporarily closed due to water ingress.
The libraries of Vilapicina and Montbau suspended their opening hours. Social service centers in Ciutat Meridiana and Poble-sec also closed temporarily.
Municipal nursery schools and music schools registered impacts in a total of 32 centers, mainly due to water accumulation. It was recommended to pick up children early from one center due to building damage.
The Barcelona City Council continues to monitor the incidents and will work to restore normalcy in the affected areas.
