Heavy rain in Central and Western Catalonia sees firefighters receiving 164 warnings

Heavy rains and hail were registered in Central and Western Catalonia between Thursday night and the early hours of Friday, with firefighters receiving 164 emergency warnings.

Most of these calls were related to many trees and branches falling because of the strong wind, but there was also some flooding, and two Rodalies commuter trains were also affected. Adif, the Spanish rail operator, offered an alternative service, and no injuries were reported.

Others called because they saw sparks in many electrical towers. 

Overall, the 112 emergency hotline received 270 calls, mostly from Osona in Central Catalonia, with 40 warnings, but also from Bages, also inland, where the hotline saw 78 calls because of flooding. Authorities received most calls around 3 pm and from 10 pm to 11 pm. But also from Bages, 

Catalonia's civil protection warned that rain was accompanied, in its vast majority, with hail and strong winds, but especially with lightning. Officials recorded 19,336 lightning strikes between Thursday evening and Friday at 4 am in the morning across Catalonia.

Grec Festival opening act

Barcelona's summer Festival Grec opened its doors on Thursday with the Australian circ company, Gravity & Other Myths, and the female choir of the Orfeó Català, who jointly presented 'The Pulse.' However, there was a bigger character in the show, rain.

The storm seen in the Catalan capital at night forced the opening act to be suspended mid-performance, and while it was first thought it would have been possible to restart the show, it was canceled just for the artists' safety.

Some of the spectators decided to return home earlier than planned, but others patiently awaited to see if the show would restart, but although it was not the case, they got to enjoy an a cappella concert by the choir in the Teatre Grec gardens while enjoying some coca flat-bread and cava, Catalonia's unique sparkling wine.