Recurrent flooding disrupts school operations
The Poeta Foix School in Barcelona's Putxet neighbourhood was flooded on Monday morning after an external sewage pipe burst, sending wastewater surging into the playground, semi-basement dining hall, and several classrooms. Water reached knee-height in some areas, rendering parts of the building unusable. Students already on site were surprised by the sudden influx of water. The school asked parents able to do so to collect their children early. Those who remained had to eat lunch in their classrooms, as the dining facility was inaccessible due to contamination. Clara Bonet, president of the school’s Parents’ Association (AFA), confirmed to ACN that this was the second such incident within days, with a previous overflow occurring last week during heavy rainfall.
Construction works suspected but not confirmed
The school is located adjacent to Balmes street, where ongoing construction work has led some residents to speculate a link between the infrastructure activity and the pipe failure. However, no official connection has been established. Bonet expressed frustration that the Education Consortium could not immediately attend to the school on Monday due to simultaneous incidents at other educational centres across the region. The Consortium acknowledged the flooding and stated that a territorial management technician and zone technical representative are now addressing the issue.
Wider school closures amid storm aftermath
The incident at Poeta Foix coincides with broader disruption across Catalonia following torrential rains over the weekend. The Department of Education suspended in-person classes in multiple municipalities in the Vallès Oriental, Maresme, and Vallès Occidental regions on safety grounds. Affected schools include EB La Baldufa, Escola Mestres Munguet-Cortès, Escola La Falguera, and Vilanova del Vallès educational centre in Vilanova del Vallès; Escola Can Cladellas and Escola Palau Solità in Palau-solità i Plegamans; CEE Barcanova in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda; and CEE Bellapart in Sabadell according to Europa Press. Earlier on Monday, Civil Protection of the Generalitat issued an Es-Alert to residents in the Vallès Oriental and Maresme areas due to forecasts of intense rainfall as reported by RTVE. This prompted the Government to act, adding these centres to seven others already closed due to storm damage sustained over the weekend.
The USTEC teaching union, the largest in Catalan public education, criticised the decision to open many schools on Monday despite active weather warnings.
USTEC argued that maximum caution should have been exercised given the uncertainty about conditions, warning that the number of affected schools may be significantly higher than officially listed. It also raised concerns about staff safety, stating that requiring workers to travel in hazardous conditions compromised their mobility and well-being.
Universities urge caution
Higher education institutions also responded. Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) advised students already on campus to remain there and those not yet travelling to avoid doing so. It confirmed that scheduled classes would continue for present students and that no one would be penalised for missing evaluations. Similarly, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) urged students already on site not to leave and recommended against travel until the alert ended, advising all to consult official guidance before moving.
Reported by elperiodico.com, cronicaglobal.elespanol.com, Europa Press, rtve.es, en.ara.cat, barcelonapress.com, ground.news, Arnau Lleonart i Fernàndez, El Periódico Barcelona.
