In an unexpected turn of events, severe downpours transformed Spain’s typically sunny streets into rivers on Thursday, as the powerful Storm Melissa swept through, leaving countless tourists stranded in airports and forcing residents to seek shelter.
Barcelona, in particular, bore the brunt of the storm, prompting city officials to issue an urgent “stay indoors” advisory. Hail, heavy rain, and fierce winds pummeled the city, creating a chaotic scene.
Authorities urged the public to exercise “extreme precautions” and discouraged travel in affected zones as Storm Melissa unleashed its fury across the Iberian Peninsula.
The tempest wreaked havoc on travel plans, causing significant disruptions at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport. According to the Spanish news source La Vanguardia, at least 47 flights faced cancellations, impacting both domestic and international routes.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar illustrated a stark image of numerous aircraft grounded amid the storm’s impact.
The air traffic control agency Enaire posted on X, stating: “The severe weather with heavy storms in the northeastern peninsula is impacting operations, enforcing safety measures at #Barcelona-#ElPrat airport.”
‘We continue to monitor the weather evolution’.
The operator also advised passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling.
Mega storm Melissa swept across the Iberian Peninsula on Thursday, causing severe disruptions across Spain. Video grab shows Mallorca residents running for cover in the midst of an aggressive thunderstorm
Roads turned to rivers in Barcelona on Thursday as heavy rainfall caused waterways to overflow
Graphic shows storm striking parts of coastal Spain
Barcelona firefighters had responded to 39 incidents caused by torrential rainfall by 10am local time this morning.
At least 16 rescues were carried out in elevators due to electrical failures or flooding that left people trapped.
Elsewhere in the region of Catalonia, a building was evacuated in the town of Badia del Valles due to the possibility of a roof collapsing.
No injuries were reported, but several other local residents had to be rescued after becoming stranded in their cars.
The storm caused several waterways to overflow in the region of Catalonia.
Footage on social media showed flooded streets in the municipality of Cerdanyola del Vallès, near Barcelona, after the Sec river overflowed.
Other videos showed a garage completely submerged in rainwater.
The President of Catalonia Salvador Illa Roca called for maximum caution in a post on X.
Graphic shows a number of grounded flights at Barcelona’s El Prat airport on Thursday morning
Roads turned to rivers in Spain’s Catalonia region after heavy rainfall caused waterways to overflow Video grab shows a flooded street in the Cerdanyola del Vallès municipality in Catalonia
River Sec in Catalonia is seen overflowing in this video grab
A garage is seen submerged in water in Catalonia after the region was struck by mega storm Melissa
‘In the face of this episode of torrential rains we are experiencing in Catalonia, I continue to ask for maximum caution.
‘It is important to follow the instructions of @emergenciescat, avoid unnecessary travel, and not approach rivers, streams, and gullies’, he wrote.
Elsewhere in Spain, locals ran for cover as they were stuck by violent thunderstorms.
Over in the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca was nearly brought to a standstill due to hail and rain, with dozens of delays reported at Palma airport.
The holiday hot-spot, which is popular among sun-seeking Brits, was placed on orange alert this morning as the island braced for the storm.
Other videos shared on social media showed panicked locals running for cover as they were struck by hail and thunder.
Footage taken of Palma Airport showed a flooded runway.
As for the party island Ibiza, torrential rains caused various road incidents after rainfall, accompanied by intense thunder, began to lash down this morning.
In the northwestern region of Galicia, waves of more than five metres were recorded, with winds reaching 80 kilometres per hour.
The violent storm is expected to continue throughout the days, with the worst conditions expected in the regions of Andalucia, Galicia, Catalonia and Aragon.
It is the latest storm to strike Spain, after the country’s Costa Blanca was last month struck by Mega Storm Alice, leaving British tourists stranded.
A graphic shared by flight tracking website Flighradar24 showed a number of planes circling around Alicante airport as a result of the travel disruptions.
The weather events in Spain come a year after the region of Valencia was struck by devastating flash floods that killed more than 230 people.
The natural disaster was one of Europe’s s deadliest in living memory.
Torrential rains caused the tsunami-like floods that swept through the hard-hit suburbs of Valencia and elsewhere.
All told, 229 people lost their lives in Valencia, while another eight died in other parts of Spain.
The floods caused an estimated 17 billion euros in damage, according to a report published this year by The Valencian Institute of Economic Research.
Experts and the government said the floods were a sign of the dangers of climate change that is intensifying extreme weather events around the world.
