Red Alert: Catalonia Braces for "Mediterranean Mini-Hurricane"
"I urge maximum caution given the weather forecasts: a Mediterranean mini-hurricane could form in Catalonia," Illa wrote on US social media company X.
"Rain is already affecting much of the region. This afternoon we will announce important measures that must be followed."
Illa told residents to avoid unnecessary travel, keep clear of rivers, streams and ravines, and not park in flood-prone areas.
Spain's weather agency AEMET cautioned that parts of Barcelona and Girona provinces could see more than 90 millimeters (3.5 inches) of rain in a single hour and over 200 millimeters (7.9 inches) in under six hours. The agency expects the worst conditions Saturday night and through the first half of Sunday, with flooding and surging rivers possible under its top-level red alert.
Catalonia's weather service Meteocat issued red warnings for 17 districts Saturday, rising to 20 on Sunday as the danger level climbs from five to the maximum six on its six-point scale. Its officials warned conditions could deteriorate sharply in the coming hours, potentially turning into an "exceptional" rainfall event.
Authorities suspended all sporting competitions in the 20 affected districts from Saturday evening until Sunday afternoon, while the regional culture department halted outdoor cultural activities, according to local media.
The storm has already disrupted the political calendar. A housing protest planned for Barcelona on Saturday was pushed back to Monday evening because of the weather warnings, while a parallel demonstration in Madrid drew some 70,000 people, according to authorities.
Barcelona activated its municipal emergency plan over fears that drainage systems could be overwhelmed. Rain has already forced the closure of one platform at Liceu metro station and some entrances at other stations.
The alerts follow deadly flooding Friday in the town of Madrigueras, in Albacete province, southeastern Spain, where a 102-year-old woman died and around 90 people were rescued. The town recorded 142 millimeters (5.6 inches) of rain, according to the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, cited by a public broadcaster. Floodwater reached a meter (3.2 feet) deep inside the home where the woman died, and most rescues involved people trapped in flooded homes.
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