Storms disrupt flights and rail services in Catalonia

Storms disrupted air and rail services in Catalonia on Wednesday morning, with around 30 flights cancelled at Barcelona Airport and several rail services affected by adverse weather conditions.

Operations at Barcelona-El Prat Airport are gradually recovering after storms hit the area early in the morning. Of the 1,036 flights scheduled for Wednesday, around 30 were cancelled due to the weather, while two flights were diverted to Madrid.

According to airport operator Aena, air navigation service provider ENAIRE is regulating traffic to maintain the necessary separation between aircraft and ensure flight safety. The expected gradual recovery in activity over the coming hours will depend on how the storms develop around the airport.

Rail services facing delays

High-speed rail services between Barcelona and Madrid have been suspended for at least two hours from 11am to repair damage caused by lightning to the overhead line at Sant Vicenç dels Horts, according to Spain's Transport Ministry.

The incident had forced trains to run on a single track between El Prat de Llobregat and Gelida, causing delays of up to one hour. As a result, technicians decided to suspend services to repair the damage and prevent further delays from building up.

The suspension is necessary because the works require the electrical power to the overhead line to be switched off.

Rodalies R2 South and southern regional services are running around 30 minutes late because of speed restrictions imposed due to "adverse weather conditions" and a separate incident, according to Renfe.

The incident was caused by cable theft between Reus and Vila-seca, Renfe said. The affected lines are the R2, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, RT1 and RT2.

On the R2 South, trains are running at a frequency of two per hour in each direction between Sant Vicenç de Calders and França station.

Meanwhile, trains on the R4 and R8 lines are running on a single track between Castellbisbal and Martorell because of a separate infrastructure incident. Delays on those services may exceed 20 minutes, according to Renfe.

Schools closed in five counties

Authorities in Catalonia have restricted travel in five counties on Wednesday as heavy rain and storms affect the region.

The measures, in force from 7am to 5pm, apply to Alt Penedès, Baix Penedès, Baix Llobregat, Vallès Occidental and Garraf. People have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel and work from home where possible.

The Catalan government has also suspended classes at schools, universities and other educational centres, and postponed non-urgent healthcare activity.

The measures also apply to day centres for older people and people with disabilities. Residents were warned of the restrictions through an emergency alert sent to mobile phones on Tuesday evening.