Heavy rain triggers flood warnings, travel restrictions across Spain

Authorities in northeastern Spain restricted non-essential travel and suspended most commuter rail services on Saturday as extreme rainfall threatened flooding, while flash floods in central-eastern Spain killed one person and forced the evacuation of around 90 people.



Catalonia activated its flood emergency plan, with restrictions covering 20 administrative areas until 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) Sunday.



The weather danger level is expected to reach the highest one early Sunday. Rainfall could exceed 90 liters per square meter in three hours and 200 liters over 24 hours in some areas.



Emergency alerts were sent to mobile phones across affected areas, while most services on Catalonia's Rodalies commuter and regional rail network were suspended.



The storm is expected to move northward on Sunday.



More than 140 liters of rain per square meter fell in around two hours, causing floods and prompting the evacuation of around 90 people. The health center was among the affected facilities, with services temporarily moved to Red Cross premises.