‘Biblical’ storms lash Spain as Mediterranean braces for extreme rainfall and flooding

Violent storms swept across eastern and island regions of Spain on Tuesday, bringing gusts of about 100 km/h, torrential rain and flash flooding that snapped palm trees, inundated roads and prompted emergency alerts and response measures.

The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) and regional services placed large swaths of the eastern Mediterranean coast under yellow, orange and red warnings, with specific advisories issued for Alicante, Tarragona and the Balearic Islands. Catalonia’s Civil Protection activated INUNCAT, the region’s special flood emergency plan, and the Catalan government sent Es-Alert messages urging residents in Baix Ebre and Montsià to avoid unnecessary travel and steer clear of flood-prone areas.

Aemet warned that some areas could see extremely intense rainfall, with forecasts for up to 90 millimeters in a single hour in parts of Tarragona between mid-afternoon and evening, raising the risk of sudden river surges and flash floods. The Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya (Meteocat) raised the danger level to 5 out of 6, forecasting up to 40 liters per square meter in 30 minutes and the possibility of 100 liters in 24 hours in the most affected zones.

Majorca’s tourism and transport infrastructure was among the hardest hit, with gale-force winds and torrential downpours turning roads into rivers, toppling trees and damaging terraces and small craft. Emergency services in Majorca said they had received dozens of calls about storm-related damage, reporting around 50 incidents before 10 a.m. Local authorities in Palma closed parks and gardens and activated the city’s emergency plan. Palma airport recorded widespread delays, with average waits around one hour, and areas of the southern island remained on orange alert as forecasts warned of more than 140 liters per square meter in a three- to four-hour span.

On the mainland, images and video circulating from Alicante showed trees with broken branches and palm trees snapped in half by strong gusts. The hardest-hit Catalan localities included Tarragonès and Baix Camp, with alert zones later extending into Baix Ebre and Montsià. Local officials cautioned about elevated river and stream levels and mobilized services to monitor vulnerable infrastructure.

In the Andratx and Camp de Mar areas of Majorca, authorities reported multiple boats damaged or overturned and debris-laden torrents dislodging recently cleaned beaches and access points. Municipal crews and security teams worked from early morning to clear debris and limit further impacts on visitor areas. The Andratx council thanked the rapid response of emergency and sanitation teams.

Severe Weather Europe issued warnings for extremely high rainfall across three zones of the north-central Mediterranean and cautioned about the possibility of severe thunderstorms and even isolated tornadoes along Italy’s western coasts as the same upper-level instability moves across the region. Aemet and regional government agencies advised people to avoid nonessential travel, keep away from flood-prone roads and follow instructions from emergency services.

This bout of severe weather follows a series of intense summer storms that struck Spain in July, which brought large hail, flash floods and rapid runoff in regions including Murcia and interior eastern provinces. In that event, the city of Caravaca de la Cruz reported hailstones comparable in size to golf balls and the temporary evacuation of some residents.

Authorities said they were monitoring conditions continuously and coordinating preventive measures. Emergency services continued to clear roads, assist affected residents and assess damage to infrastructure and private property. Weather services cautioned that instability was likely to persist across the Balearic archipelago and parts of the north-central Mediterranean through the day, keeping flood and wind warnings in force.