Barcelona hit with fresh flooding as rescuers continue to search for victims in Valencia

A British couple have died following flash flooding in Spain, as ITV News' Europe Editor James Mates reports

Barcelona was hit by fresh flooding on Monday as the coastline was placed on red alert for heavy rain following deadly floods in Valencia.

Residents were warned to exercise "extreme caution", restrict travel and stay away from flood-prone areas.

Roads in Barcelona and parts of the El Prat airport were flooded, as 15 flights were diverted and rail travel suspended.

Aemet, Spain's national weather service, put Barcelona on the highest alert due to the risk of an accumulated rainfall of 180mm in 12 hours.

It comes just days after more than 200 people died after flash floods tore through towns and villages in southern and eastern Spain.

Aemet, Spain's national weather service, has put the Barcelona coastline on red alert. Credit: Aemet

Authorities said they can still not give a reliable estimate of the number of those missing. The death toll is expected to rise as recovery efforts continue.

The flooding is the country's worst natural disaster in recent memory.

Emergency services continue to search for bodies in Valencia. In Aldaia, a shopping centre's underground carpark was searched for possible victims.

They used a small boat to move around, with vehicles submerged in at least a meter of murky water.

A firefighter works in the entrance of an underground car park as rescue workers look for bodies on the outskirts of Valencia. Credit: AP

Police spokesman Ricardo Gutiérrez told reporters that so far some 50 vehicles had been found and no bodies had been discovered there.

Three British people are among those to have died in the floods last week.

On Monday, the Foreign Office said it was supporting the "family of a British man and woman who have died in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”

A 71-year-old British man also died after being rescued from his home near Alhaurin de la Torre, Malaga.

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, posted on X: "The UK government expresses its heartfelt condolences to those affected by the tragic floods across Spain - our thoughts are with those that have lost their lives, their families and all those affected.

"I have offered the UK's full support to my friend @jmalbares."

On Monday morning, an alert for "extreme and continued rainfall" was sent to people's phones in Barcelona, urging them to avoid any normally dry gorges or canals.

Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente suspended all commuter trains in northeast Catalonia, a region with eight million people, on request from civil protection officials.

Several motorways were closed due to flooding.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met King Felipe VI for a flood crisis meeting in Madrid on Monday.

It comes after residents threw mud and rocks at Spain's king and queen on Sunday during a visit to the town of Paiporta, near Valencia, as anger continues to grow over the official response to the floods.

Emergency services remove cars in an area affected by floods in Catarroja, Spain, on Sunday. Credit: AP

The regional government has also been heavily criticised for not sending out flood warnings fast enough.

The Spanish navy’s “Galicia” transport vessel arrived in Valencia’s port on Monday with marines, helicopters and trucks loaded with food and water to help with the relief effort, which included 7,500 soldiers and thousands of police reinforcements.

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