Spain's flood nightmare continues as heavy rain hits Barcelona, Valencia tries to dig out
CBSN
Barcelona, Spain — The recurrent storms in eastern Spain that led to massive flooding last week and killed at least 217 people, almost all of them in the eastern Valencia region, dumped rain further north Monday on Barcelona, prompting authorities to suspend commuter rail services and reroute flights as some highways were inundated.
Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente said he was suspending all commuter trains in northeast Catalonia, a region with 8 million people, at the request of civil protection officials. Cell phones in Barcelona screeched with an alert for "extreme and continued rainfall" on the southern outskirts of the city. The alert urged people to avoid any normally dry gorges or canals.
Puente said the rains had forced air traffic controllers to change the course of 15 flights operating at Barcelona's airport, located on the southern flank of the city, and the national airport operator later said a total of 50 flights at the hub were cancelled on Monday.
Chiva, Spain — The death toll from historic flash floods in Spain climbed to at least 205 people Friday, with many more believed to be missing, as the initial shock gave way to anger, frustration and a wave of solidarity. Spanish emergency authorities said 202 of the victims were in the Valencia region alone, and officials warned that more rains were expected in the coming days.