No respite in Spain as deluge hits rail and air travel in Catalonia

The Spanish province of Catalonia is being hit by heavy rainfall following the flood disaster in the neighbouring region of Valencia in eastern Spain.

The airport in the regional capital Barcelona cancelled around 70 flights and diverted 18 more on Monday, the airport administration authority Aena announced. Media outlets including the regional newspaper El Periódico published videos showing a flooded runway.

In some places the rainwater ran through the ceiling into the interior of the airport. Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente posted on X that there were leaks in some areas of the airport's terminals and car parks.

The minister went on to announce that all regional rail traffic was temporarily suspended at the request of civil defence authorities.

Puente also reported a landslide on a motorway that was affecting road traffic, though one lane has now been reopened. According to reports in the Spanish media, several other roads in Catalonia have been flooded.

Around 150 educational institutions in the region cancelled classes, according to media reports, while some residents were warned on their mobile phones to stay home. A red weather alert issued earlier has been downgraded by two levels.