Severe Flooding Forces Barcelona Hospital Closure as Storm Dana Batters Spain

Streets became rivers after heavy thunderstorms in Spain over the weekend

Heavy rain and flash flooding brought by Storm Dana over the weekend caused widespread disruption across Spain, forcing the closure of a hospital in Barcelona, sweeping away vehicles, and leaving two people missing near the town of Cubelles.

The Penedès Regional Hospital in Barcelona was evacuated Saturday night after floodwaters damaged its electrical system, making it unsafe for patients. Spain’s Health Minister Olga Pané confirmed the transfer of all 71 patients to nearby hospitals in Sant Camil, Bellvitge, Igualada, Sant Boi, and Viladecans.

A hospital in Barcelona was flooded and forced to close after electrical systems were damaged

The storm, caused by a weather phenomenon known as Dana—an isolated high-level atmospheric depression—unleashed intense thunderstorms and high winds across Catalonia and other parts of Spain. Dana occurs when a cold air mass collides with warmer Mediterranean air, resulting in highly unstable weather conditions.

In Vilafranca del Penedès, southwest of Barcelona, nearly 155mm (six inches) of rain was recorded, while Barcelona itself experienced nearly 3,200 lightning strikes on Saturday alone, according to Spain’s meteorological agency, Aemet. Half of Spain’s provinces, including Zaragoza, Barcelona, Girona, and Tarragona, were placed under storm warnings.

Damaged vehicles in a garage in Tarazona, Aragon, after floodwater began to recede

Barcelona was among the hardest-hit areas, with dramatic scenes showing streets transformed into rivers, outdoor café furniture swept away by torrents, and submerged cars across the city. Popular tourist destinations, including Park Güell and Tibidabo amusement park, were closed as authorities urged residents and tourists to remain indoors. Public beaches were also closed, and swimming was temporarily banned.

The flooding triggered a major emergency response in Cubelles, approximately 30 miles from Barcelona, after witnesses reported seeing a woman and a child swept away into the Foix River. Emergency crews, including firefighters, Catalan police, and maritime rescue helicopters, resumed search efforts on Sunday as hopes of survival faded.

A van floats in a flooded street after severe weather hit Spain

Rosa Montserrat Fonoll, mayor of Cubelles, said the town experienced a surge in water flow reaching 7,070 cubic feet per second. “I’ve never seen anything like this in Cubelles,” she said. Several residents were left without electricity or running water, while others were stranded in their homes.

The extreme weather disrupted transport services, with Renfe, Spain’s national railway operator, suspending train operations across Catalonia. Services gradually resumed by 7 p.m. local time. In addition, a U.S.-bound passenger plane was forced to turn back to Barcelona after hail severely damaged its nose.

The deluge prompted more than 1,200 emergency calls as authorities dealt with road closures, power outages, and damage to infrastructure across the region.