Spain braces for 70mph and severe flooding with red alert issued for popular holiday hotspot

Spain braces for 70mph and severe flooding with red alert issued for popular holiday hotspot Authorities have imposed restrictions across 20 areas as Spain battles more extreme weather, just days after devastating floods swept away cars and left an elderly woman dead A red “danger to life” warning has been issued as a Spanish holiday hotspot braces for torrential floods and 70mph winds. Catalonia is preparing for another round of severe storms, with Barcelona, Girona and the Costa Brava among areas facing potentially dangerous conditions. Travel restrictions are being imposed across 20 coastal and inland areas as officials fear already swollen rivers may struggle to cope with another deluge. The worst conditions are expected around midnight, with intense lightning, torrential downpours and winds exceeding 120km/h (75mph) forecast. Tornadoes and waterspouts are also possible. Catalonia’s president Salvador Illa urged people to take the threat seriously, warning: “This is not a joke.” He described the situation as “very complex”, with emergency alerts set to be sent directly to mobile phones in the highest-risk areas. The latest warnings come after other parts of Spain were already hit by violent storms and flash flooding. An elderly woman was killed and around 90 people had to be rescued after floodwater tore through Madrigueras, around 120 miles northwest of Alicante. The town was hit by around 140 litres of rain per square metre in just three hours, sending torrents through streets and leaving homes and businesses sunk. The 102-year-old woman was found dead inside her home where the water had risen to more than 3ft. The flooding follows the hottest summer on record in Spain, where almost 2,150 people are thought to have died from heat-related causes in August. Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain, expressed condolences to the woman's family. He said. “The torrential and persistent rains of the last few hours have caused severe damage in many areas of our region. All my affection to the family of the woman who has passed away due to the flooding, and all our support and solidarity to the affected neighbours.” Dramatic footage circulating online showed cars piled on top of each other, while residents watched from balconies as vehicles were swept through the streets. One man was filmed clinging to his car to avoid being dragged away by the powerful current. Several major routes into the town were also cut off by the flooding. Severe weather has also hit the Costa Blanca, where orange and yellow alerts have been in place, while Valencia closed schools to almost half a million children on Friday. The Balearic Islands are now under an orange warning, with heavy rain and thunderstorms expected overnight. Back in Catalonia, the red warning is set to extend across much of the north, including Girona, Mataró and Figueres and along the Costa Brava towards the French border. The extreme conditions have been linked to a weather phenomenon known as a DANA, which can develop when colder air higher in the atmosphere meets warm, moisture-laden air over the Mediterranean. The phenomenon can trigger slow-moving but extremely powerful thunderstorms and intense rainfall and is particularly associated with Spain during the autumn months.