Renfe begins to suspend long-distance trains due to the forecast of rain

BarcelonaTorrential rains are returning and Catalonia is preparing for intense hours, especially in Garraf, Penedès, Camp de Tarragona, and the Ebre. Although the Meteorological Service of Catalonia (Meteocat) had activated the highest level—the red one—since this morning for this evening in the south of the country, in the latest update at seven in the evening it lowered this forecast to the orange level, with a danger of 4 out of 6 regarding the rains expected for this Thursday evening. However, it does maintain a red alert, with a danger of 5 out of 6 starting at midnight in the Terres de l'Ebre, where the rainfall could leave downpours exceeding 40 liters per square meter in just half an hour.

Since the morning, the Generalitat Firefighters have responded to 55 calls due to the rains across the country. Furthermore, given the forecast that the downpours will continue to be intense in the south of the country this Friday, up to nine municipalities in Montsià and Baix Ebre have suspended classes. Specifically, there will be no school in all the towns of the Montsià region—Alcanar, Amposta, Freginals, la Ràpita, Mas de Barberans, Masdenverge, Santa Bàrbara—and in Deltebre and Tortosa. In these areas, municipal facilities and spaces have also been closed as a preventive measure.

Given the risk posed by flash floods that can be caused by downpours and associated atmospheric phenomena, such as strong wind gusts, the Government will send two ES-Alerts to the most affected regions so that citizens take extreme precautions: the first has been sent to Garraf, Alt Penedès, Baix Penedès, Alt Camp, Baix Camp, and Tarragonès, to alert of intense rains from noon and throughout the afternoon; and the second will be sent to Terra Alta, Baix Ebre, and Montsià, where the forecast will be for the afternoon, evening, and all night.

In fact, the first significant water records have already arrived: the storm has left up to 80 liters of water per square meter on the Illa de Buda, in the Ebre delta, 68 liters in Bisbal del Penedès (Baix Penedès), and 56 in Blancafort (Conca de Barberà).

First suspensions on Renfe

Renfe has already announced that it is suspending several long-distance trains on the Mediterranean corridor starting at six in the evening this Thursday due to the forecast of heavy rain between Catalonia and Valencia. Specifically, the Alvia from Cordoba to Barcelona with arrival at 20:51 at Sants will be terminated in Valencia, while three Euromed and one Intercity between the two autonomous communities have been suspended. Furthermore, the Avant Express departing from Barcelona Sants at 17:50 destined for Tortosa will end its journey at Camp de Tarragona. The departure of tomorrow's Avant Express will take place from this station at 7:12 instead of departing from Tortosa.

Also, starting at 18:00, two regional trains may see their service suspended for part of the route due to the storm. These are the trains on the R16 line of Rodalies de Catalunya departing from Barcelona Estació de França destined for Tortosa at 19:15 and 20:45. Depending on weather conditions, both trains may end their route in Tarragona.

Possible severe weather

In a media briefing, the head of Prediction at Meteocat, Santi Segalà, has warned that the storms may be accompanied by violent weather phenomena, such as tornadoes, waterspouts, or strong wind gusts.

For her part, the deputy director of Civil Protection, Imma Solé, explained that all municipalities and agencies will be informed about this new alert situation for rain, which she insisted is of a "very general" scope, although with different levels of danger.

Specifically, the red danger warning begins at 12:00 PM in the regions of Tarragona and the south of Barcelona. From 6:00 PM, the alert will move towards Baix Ebre, Montsià, and Terra Alta, and from midnight until 6:00 AM, it is expected that the rains will remain stalled in Baix Ebre and Montsià. In the Ebre region, therefore, the storm is expected to last up to 18 hours.

The Valencian Community, on red alert

Furthermore, it must be taken into account that the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has raised the warning for rain to red starting at 6 p.m. for the coast and the northern interior of Castellón and the coast of Valencia, given the forecast that 90 liters per square meter may accumulate in one hour and up to 250 liters in 12 hours.

At 10 a.m. the Generalitat Valenciana sent an ES-Alert in which it asks people to avoid travel and to stay away from ravines and riverbeds. In addition, in the Valencian Country, fifty municipalities have suspended classes this morning and it is expected that more will be added over the next few hours in the face of increasing rainfall.