Civil Protection issues emergency phone alert due to expected torrential rain

The Catalan civil protection issued an emergency phone alert on Wednesday across Catalonia, warning of expected torrential rain.

The message sent around 9:50 pm read that rains are "expected this morning, tomorrow morning, particularly along the coast and pre-coastal areas."

Authorities recommended that citizens "take extreme precautions," "avoid unnecessary travel, and stay away from streams and ravines."

Regional officials announced that they would send the alert earlier in the afternoon, as there was a forecast of between 40 and 60 liters of rainfall per square meter in 30 minutes.

The weather forecast says that rain will cross the territory from south to north during the early hours of Thursday. Catalan interior minister Núria Parlon said that it is important to be prudent during the early hours, as many commuters will have to go to work during the torrential rain.

The decision to send the ES-Alert was made during the Emergency Committee meeting held on Wednesday night because of the flood emergency plan in place across Catalonia. The gathering was attended by President Salvador Illa as well as several emergency units.

During the night, emergency authorities will control the situation to keep a "constant" update on the torrential rain episode.

"If we see that the situation becomes more complicated, we will take the necessary measures," Parlon said before adding that the goal is to "protect people."

The emergency in Barcelona was sent two days after a drill was carried out by Civil Protection on Monday at 10 am. Officials said that around five million devices had received the test.