Flooded Barcelona hospital evacuated as heavy rains lash Spain
Streets turned into rivers in the Catalonian capital and other tourist spots after flash thunderstorms and high winds over the weekend.
Two people were reported missing in the town of Cubelles, around 30 miles from Barcelona. A witness claims to have seen a woman and a child cross a bridge, fall into the Foix river and be swept away by floodwaters.
Half of Spain's provinces were under storm warnings on Saturday, including Zaragoza, Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona.
Barcelona was one of the hardest hit areas, with videos showing outdoor tables and chairs being swept away by floodwaters and cars fully submerged.
Olga Pané, the Spanish health minister, said heavy rains forced the evacuation and closure of the Penedès Regional Hospital, after damage to its electrical system.
Ms Pané said: 'We have decided to evacuate and transfer the 71 patients to the hospitals of Sant Camil, Bellvitge, Igualada, Sant Boi, and Viladecans.'
The storm was caused by a weather phenomenon known as Dana, or isolated depression at high levels. It occurs when a mass of cold air collides with a mass of warm air over the Mediterranean Sea.
According to Aemet, Spain's weather agency, Vilafranca des Penedès, south-west of Barcelona, received 155mm (six inches) of rainfall. Aemet recorded nearly 3,200 lightning strikes in Barcelona on Saturday alone.
Popular tourist attractions in Barcelona, including the Tibidabo amusement park and Park Güell, were closed, while a ban was imposed on swimming at public beaches.
Tourists and locals in Catalonia and Aragon were advised to stay indoors and keep away from flood-risk areas on Saturday, after Aemet placed the area under a red 'extreme risk' alert.
On Sunday, emergency crews resumed their search for the two people in the town of Cubelles.
Rescue workers from the fire department, Catalan police and a maritime rescue helicopter were deployed to search.
Rosa Montserrat Fonoll, the town mayor, told Catalan News: 'I've never seen anything like this in Cubelles.' The flow of water reached 7,070 cubic feet per second through the town.
Ms Fonoll said that some residents were still without electricity or running water, and others were unable to leave their homes.
At the peak of the storm, emergency services received 1,200 calls.
Train services were also disrupted, with Renfe, the national rail operator, cancelling services in Catalonia. By 7pm local time, trains had begun resuming service.
A US-bound plane was forced to turn back to Barcelona after hail damaged its nose.
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