A B.C. woman travelling alone in Barcelona was among the terrified pedestrians left running for their lives during Thursday's deadly terror attack.

Surrey resident Alisha Norris was visiting the city's popular Las Ramblas district on the recommendation of a friend when a white van suddenly started slamming into people, killing 13 and injuring at least 100 others.

"Everyone's happy, everyone's laughing and then in an instant people are screaming and people are running," Norris told CTV News over the phone from Spain.

"I could hear people getting hit by the vehicle and I just looked forward and I ran as fast I could."

Related: Canada on list of affected nationalities in Barcelona terror attack

There was panic in the streets as people rushed to safety. The gruesome attack left men, women and children sprawled on the ground, some dead and others suffering from serious wounds.

Norris had been in the country for two weeks following a trip across Europe through Italy, France and Switzerland. She was due to leave Spain the next day.

Norris said the incident left her in a state of shock. When she finally stopped running, her first impulse was to call home. She phone her mother, only to find she was too overwhelmed to speak.

"The only time I've ever seen anything like this is on the news," she said. "I never on my life thought this was an experience I'm going to have."

Another B.C. resident, Vince Loyola of Victoria, is currently living in Barcelona. Though he didn't witness the carnage, he said the effects are being felt throughout the city.

"The streets are all empty," he said. "Everybody was advised to go home, stay inside. All the businesses are shut down."

Police arrested two people shortly after the attack though neither is believed to be the driver of the van, who fled on foot. Hours later, officers shot and killed several people who were suspected of planning another attack in the coastal town of Cambrils.

The Islamic State group issued a statement claiming responsibility for the Barcelona attack.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Maria Weisgarber