Cars swept away in Cadaqués after Friday morning storm

A strong storm in coastal northern Catalonia caused a stream in Cadaqués to overflow this morning and drag several vehicles that had been parked alongside it.

The Meteorological Service of Catalonia (Meteocat) says rainfall may have exceeded 100mm during the storm.

In total, around 30 cars were swept away. A warning had been activated not to park alongside the creek, the mayor of the town, Pia Serinyana, told Catalunya Ràdio.

The cars are now blocking the Casino bridge and the water entered some homes that are close to the stream.

Firefighters have checked all the vehicles and have verified that there was no injuries done to people.

The Fire Department received the warning at 3:54 am and dispatched two crews to Cadaqués.

For two and a half hours they checked and concluded none were taken to the sea, as they were stuck on the bridge.

Meteocat issued a warning for rain accumulation this morning for the regions of Alt and Baix Empordà, also in northern Catalonia, with rainfall of more than 100mm in 24 hours.

In the Tallada d'Empordà, rainfall of 47.1mm were recorded, and in Portbou, 16.6mm in just half an hour, reaching up to 48mm in three hours.

Intensity of the rainfall has died down early this morning, although there were still locally heavy showers on the north coast.

Civil protection

Catalan civil protection has defended its protocol during the Cadaqués floods as they have been following the storms across the Empordà counties, and according to officials, there was no need to send phone alerts nor activate the Inuncat flooding emergency plan.

Imma Solé, deputy director of civil protection, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) that the incident has been "very focused" before adding that they have been checking if there were any severe consequences and announcing that the situation was already returning to normality.

The 112 emergency hotline received around eight calls by 3:00 am and 25 throughout the whole episode of flooding in Cadaqués.