During the search following the weekend’s heavy rainfall, the body of a woman was found on 18 October 2026 in the port of Premià de Mar . She had been swept away by the swollen riera on the evening of 17 October in Cabrera de Mar (Maresme, Barcelona province). The fire service of the Generalitat de Catalunya confirmed the discovery, while the local council of Cabrera de Mar offered its condolences and announced that flags would be flown at half-mast. Police are investigating her identity and the exact circumstances.
According to the authorities, the woman was walking close to a normally dry streambed when intense rainfall caused the watercourse to rise suddenly and flow at a dangerous speed. During the night, the Bombers de la Generalitat together with Mossos d'Esquadra, the Policia Local and Salvamento Marítimo began the search. Coordination took place within the regional emergency response system; additional units assisted along the coast as far as the discovery site in Premià de Mar.
Official warnings regularly stress that in coastal areas of Catalonia, so-called rieras can change from dry to raging within a short time. Even a few centimetres of water can knock people down or move vehicles when the current is strong enough. Protecció Civil The Generalitat de Catalunya advises people in such conditions to take precautions: do not cross on foot or by car, observe closures of fords and bridges, and follow current warnings at all times. For the weekend, the flood plan had been INUNCAT activated or kept at a heightened state of readiness.
What is known and what remains unclear: The location and time of the accident in Cabrera de Mar, the involvement of rescue workers, the discovery in the port of Premià de Mar and the link to the heavy rainfall have been confirmed. The exact circumstances of the fall into the riera, the precise time of death and further personal details remain unclear for now; these will only be released after formal identification.
The incident is one of several weather-related emergencies in Maresme, where numerous calls for help came in on Saturday and Sunday. Municipalities point to the increased seasonal risk of short, intense autumn showers. Emergency services say the case shows that preventive closures and avoiding dangerous crossings during warnings are crucial to prevent fatal misjudgements.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).