A major thunderstorm has hit a Spanish tourist hotspot but so far no injuries are reported
An extreme thunderstorm has hit a tourist hotspot in Spain. The extreme weather has hit the Catalonia region of Spain, with Camp de Tarragona suffering serious disruption on Monday.
Express reports public transport is heavily affected with bus cancellations. Strong hail and winds alongside the heavy downpours saw areas of the streets and plaza’s flooding.
Affected spots include Carrer Joan Baptista Plana, Imperial Tàrraco, Carrer Vidal i Barraquer, Carrer d’Apodaca, and Avinguda Prat de la Riba. Firefighters responded to 129 calls, 107 of which were in the Tarragona region, over just an hour and a half as branches of trees fell and electrical cables faced issues.
Despite blocked roads and significant material damage, Sonia Orts, the Councillor for Civil Protection and Mobility said: “Fortunately, there are no reports of personal injuries”.
Tarragona City Council are working to remove dangerous trees and have closed local parks. The public have been warned to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel, according to reports.
The Meteorological Service of Catalonia has issued a six out of six violent weather alert warning, with the risk of hailstones larger than two centimeters in diameter. The heavy rainfall also caused the death of many pigeons who can be seen in videos struck on the floor among the high levels of water.
The storm has also impacted several other areas in the northeast, before it reached Tarragona. Several municipalities in Segrià such as Almenar, Corbins, Albatàrrec, and Lleida city were already victim to the huge hailstones, impacting local crop.
The weather comes just days after hurricane-force winds tore through the Balearic Islands overnight, with winds peaking at 121 kilometres per hour in the early hours of Friday. Tourists and residents woke to scenes of scattered debris, flooded roads and battered coastal areas across the archipelago that includes Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.
Ensure our latest stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login