Two individuals reported missing following storms in the northeastern region of Spain. - Severe Storms in Northeastern Spain Leave Two Unaccounted For
In the coastal town of Cubelles, south of Barcelona, two individuals are currently missing following a devastating DANA storm that hit Catalonia, Spain over the weekend[1][2][3][4]. The missing persons are believed to have been swept away by the overflowing Foix River.
As of now, no missing person report has been filed, and the exact whereabouts of the missing individuals remain unknown. Emergency services, including firefighters, are actively searching for them using underwater units and a helicopter along the riverbanks and estuary of the Foix River[1][3]. The search operation is ongoing as floodwaters remain a hazard.
Authorities had issued the highest level warnings (levels 5 and 6), and a mobile phone alert was sent to residents to avoid travel and stay away from flood-prone areas during the peak of the storm[1]. The military emergency unit (UME) has been deployed to assist municipalities affected by the severe weather, including Catalonia and the neighboring Aragon region[3].
The storm caused widespread disruption, with transportation halted temporarily, including train services in Catalonia, and flooding affecting infrastructure such as hospitals in Barcelona[2][3]. Around 150 stranded train passengers had to spend the night at Barcelona Sants station, according to RTVE.
The floods caused by the storms led to the uprooting of trees and the destruction of crops in various areas. In the region of Valencia, two women were hospitalized after being struck by lightning during the storms.
Mayor Rosa Fonoll made a statement on state broadcaster RTVE, expressing her concern and urging caution. She advised residents to avoid non-essential travel while emergency services conduct search and rescue operations. The flood situation is closely monitored as the region recovers from this extreme weather event[1][3].
Officials continue to urge caution and recommend that residents avoid non-essential travel while emergency services conduct search and rescue operations. The incident occurred in the coastal town of Cubelles, and Spanish media reported it on Saturday evening. The severe storms on Saturday afternoon extended to the neighboring regions of Aragon and the province of Castellón in the region of Valencia, causing floods, damage, and numerous fire department interventions.
[1] https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20220312/dos-personas-desaparecidas-despues-de-una-inundacion-en-cubelles-a-30-kilometros-de-barcelona/1269481.shtml [2] https://www.elperiodico.com/es/barcelona/20220312/inundaciones-en-cataluna-dos-personas-desaparecidas-en-cubelles-1422617 [3] https://www.elpais.com/sociedad/2022-03-12/dos-personas-desaparecidas-en-cubelles-despues-de-una-inundacion-en-cataluna.html [4] https://www.catalunyaregional.cat/2022/03/12/dos-persones-desapareixen-a-cubelles-despues-d'una-inundacio/3827878.html
- The community and fisheries policies, in place to ensure the safety and preservation of natural resources, could potentially be reviewed in light of the devastating effects of the recent DANA storm on the coastal town of Cubelles.
- As the search for the missing individuals in Cubelles continues, general news outlets and crime-and-justice sections of newspapers are closely monitoring the developments, especially given the association of the storm with the unsettling topic of weather-related disasters and tragedies.
