Two separate train derailments shook northeastern Spain's Catalonia region on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, claiming one life and injuring at least 20 people amid severe weather conditions. The accidents occurred less than six hours apart, highlighting growing infrastructure challenges during extreme weather events.
The first incident near Gelida, Barcelona province, saw a retaining wall collapse onto railway tracks as a commuter train passed through the area. The impact killed the train's driver instantly and left 15 passengers injured. Emergency crews worked for three hours to extract survivors from the debris-strewn tracks.
A second derailment in storm-battered Girona province occurred when falling rocks smashed into a regional train. Five people sustained serious injuries, including two children, before services on the critical Barcelona-French border line were suspended. Catalan authorities confirmed both incidents resulted from 'extraordinary meteorological circumstances' but pledged full investigations.
Regional transport minister Marta Rovira told reporters: 'We're prioritizing victim support and urgent infrastructure assessments.' The accidents come as Catalonia experiences its wettest January in 15 years, with rainfall totals already exceeding monthly averages.
