Two killed and thousands evacuated after Storm Adam batters Spanish coast with heavy rain

Two killed and thousands evacuated after Storm Adam batters Spanish coast with heavy rain Weather alerts warning of ‘significant danger’ remain in place in several areas of Spain - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in A second person has died in the wake of Storm Adam as parts of eastern and southern Spain are battered by heavy rain, causing flooding and grounded flights. On Sunday night, the woman, 55, went swimming with a man at Almardà Beach in Sagunto, which is a 30-minute drive from Valencia. Spain’s State Meteorological Agency had released an amber weather warning alert for the region due to strong winds and heavy rainfall. The man, who is from the Netherlands, managed to swim out of the sea to safety and alerted emergency services around 8pm. A major search mission was launched, involving the coast guard and a maritime rescue helicopter. Despite the efforts of the emergency services, the woman’s body was discovered at the nearby beach Canes d’en Berenguer. It follows the death of another woman, 35, on Saturday. She was swept away in Cabrera de Mar, about 27 km north of Barcelona, as she tried to cross a river with her children on Saturday night. Her partner had jumped into the water and managed to save their child, but the mother was swept away by the surging river and found washed up at a port near to Barcelona, local newspaper Sur reported. The tragedy comes just weeks after a further two people died in the Catalonia region due to a separate “mini hurricane” at the start of the month. Since Saturday, heavy showers and thunderstorms have battered the country’s Levante region and areas of the Balearic Islands. Storm Adam is the first named storm of the 2026-2027 season. On Monday, weather alerts warning of ‘significant danger’ remained in place in the areas of Barcelona and Murcia, Ronda in the south, north and south of Valencia and the islands of Mallorca, Formenta and Ibiza. Ibiza suffered from torrential rain and severe flooding over the weekend which forced its main airport to close twice. On Sunday, the popular holiday destination was under a red alert – the highest warning – after 60 litres per square metre of rain fell in just an hour. Videos circulated on social media showed water showering from a leak in the terminal’s roof, while its airfields also flooded. A total of 27 flights were cancelled and 16 were diverted. Meanwhile people on the island were left without electricity. The Council of Cabrera de Mar declared Monday, October 19, as an official ‘day of mourning’ for the woman swept away by the river and the town held a minute of silence. Storm Adam is suspected to subside over the next few days. It comes after Spain experienced a summer of devastating wildfires across regions including the now storm-struck Valencia. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments