Catalonia votes overwhelmingly for independence from Spain in 'informal, non-binding' referendum

Weeks after the nation's constitutional court suspended a referendum, more than 80 percent people participating in Catalonia's disputed and non-binding voting on independence from Spain have showed support for secession, a report said.

The Spanish judiciary has declared the vote "unconstitutional" but Catalan leader Artur Mas warned against any attempt to disrupt it, reported the BBC.

Saying that the vote would have no effect, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy urged the state to return to "sanity."

Almost 40,000 volunteers are helping to set up and run the informal exercise.