Flights and trains cancelled as Barcelona hit by massive downpour

Heavy rain and stormy conditions in Barcelona and the Catalonia region have caused almost 50 flight cancellations and dozens of delays at Barcelona-El Prat airport, according to information from Spain's airport operator Aena.

Departure information on the airport website shows both domestic and international flights are being affected.

Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia reports that flights have been cancelled "due to low visibility and the intensity of the rainfall", as well as an accumulation of water on the runways.

The cancellations come as the wider Catalonia region is under an orange weather alert this Thursday, for rainfall of more than 40 litres m/2.

The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, has called for maximum caution in the face of the episode of "torrential rains" that Catalonia is experiencing, and advised locals to follow the advice sent via the Civil Protection alert system and avoid unnecessary travel.

The storm has also led to the suspension of classes at Catalan universities and cancelled several Rodalies train services.

​​In total 47 flights have been cancelled at Barcelona's El Prat airport and another 45 have been delayed due to safety concerns amid the weather.

Judging by departure information from the El Prat website as of midday on Thursday, both domestic and international departures have been cancelled.

Among the cancelled flights are Vueling connections to Rome, Málaga, Manchester, London and Palma, as well as several Iberia, Transavia and TAP flights.

Some flights are delayed but still scheduled to depart. The schedule for later in the afternoon seems clearer, with less flights cancelled.

The R15 train line in Barcelona has also been cut due to a fallen wall, according to reporting from Cadena Ser.

This is the latest episode of torrential rain in Spain this autumn, with severe downpours already recorded in Seville, Alicante, the Balearic Islands and Valencia, a year after the deadly floods that killed more than 200 people in the eastern province.