THE body of a woman who was swept away by a flooded stream during Storm Adam has been found in the sea off Premia de Mar, north of Barcelona.
She was found at around 11am on Sunday, floating in the water next to the breakwater at Premia de Mar port.
The victim, a resident of Malgrat de Mar aged around 35, tried to cross the riera during the torrential rain and was carried away by the current.
A riera is a watercourse that is usually dry but turns into a torrent in heavy rain.
Despite an intensive search, nothing could be done to save her.
When they reached the riera, it was running fast after 60 litres per square metre of rain fell in 40 minutes. She tried to cross, but fell into the water and was swept away.
Her family raised the alarm, and emergency services began a race against time to find her. Catalan firefighters (Bombers), local police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, Maritime Rescue and Forest Defence Group (ADF) volunteers deployed numerous units, but found no trace of her overnight.
The Bombers alone sent 18 crews with 78 personnel, who worked through the night and into the morning.
Rat Puigvert, who led the Bombers’ search, said teams had searched the riera intensively and went back over every area once it was light.
On Sunday morning, the first signs of her route began to emerge when searchers found an item of her clothing and a personal belonging. The search continued by land, sea and air, using underwater units, drones and helicopters.
Cabrera de Mar council also sent heavy machinery to vegetable plots outside the town to check whether she had been trapped in the sediment.
The Mossos finally located her body near Premia de Mar port, about six kilometres from where she disappeared, and brought it ashore by boat.
Cabrera de Mar mayor Oscar Fernandez urged residents to follow the alerts issued by the Catalan government and local councils.
He also announced a day of mourning and a joint minute’s silence in Cabrera de Mar and Malgrat de Mar.
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