Mallorca emerges from devastation left in the wake of severe weather

Fortunately, this Monday is expected to be a much calmer day and the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has only activated warnings for rough seas in the south, the Serra de Tramuntana, the north and northeast for waves that will range between two and four metres high. Occasional scattered showers are not ruled out, which could occasionally be accompanied by thunderstorms.

Mallorca, shaken by strong storms and hurricane-force winds

This past Sunday the island was shaken by strong storms and hurricane-force winds that left a total of 366 incidents in the Balearic Islands, 332 in Mallorca, up to 8.30pm. The emergency services will provide updated information during the day.

Shortly after half past ten in the morning a front entered through Andratx and Calvia and began to sweep over large areas, multiplying the incidents and overwhelming the emergency services. At sea, the first shocks began and some canoeists in distress were rescued at the Malgrats Islands. It was the prelude to what was to come: sunken boats and reckless bathers running for shelter. A critical moment was experienced in the Port of Palma when a cruise ship broke loose in the gale and collided with an oil tanker, although fortunately no injuries were reported. Maritime Station number 1 was destroyed when the windows were blown out by a gust of gale-force wind. In Felanitx, the façade of the bullring suffered serious material damage and in Soller more than 68 litres per square metre were collected in a few minutes.  In Calvia a sign fell on a pregnant woman and left her injured, while in Palma the large platform of some painters who were repairing the façade of a large building in Plaza Es Fortí (formerly Hornabeque) was on the verge of falling from the fourteenth floor.

There were massive cancellations at Palma airport and around twenty cars were seriously damaged by falling debris and trees. In addition, several people were slightly injured in different incidents. After two o'clock in the afternoon, the storm subsided. However, as had already been announced, there was further rainfall well into the afternoon.

Scaffolding in the skies and palm trees on the ground

Four bricklayers were trying to hold up a scaffolding on a fourteenth floor of the Plaza es Fortí as if they were the trainers of the velociraptors from Jurassic Park. The structure was swaying next to the façade of the building under construction as a result of the 120-kilometre-an-hour winds that hit Palma. Local police officers have cut off Rafael Rodríguez Méndez street due to the danger of the scaffolding coming loose and falling. Two cranes managed to immobilise it at around half past five in the afternoon and deposited it on the roof of the building.

Palma recorded a total of 171 incidents up to 8pm, as reported by the 112 Balearic Emergencies service through its profile on the X social network. Some palm trees on Passeig Marítim were knocked down by the wind as if they were dominoes. In Passeig Mallorca, the branches of several trees ended up embedded in the windows of parked cars.

The fire brigade had to work hard because of fallen branches, trees, blinds and awnings in the street. In front of the Cathedral more than five palm trees were knocked out by the wind. Drivers were dodging fallen branches and trying to decipher the traffic lights that have been knocked out by the storm that shook Mallorca.

A pregnant woman was injured when a sign fell on her in Calvia, another of the areas of the island that fell victim to the strong gusts of wind and rain with 68 incidents. She was taken to a PAC with cuts to her leg. On Illetes beach, two children were swept away by the wind on a lilo and were found on some rocks, according to a press release from the Town Hall. Seven canoeists who were sailing along the Illes Malgrats, in Santa Ponsa, were rescued adrift by a catamaran and another three by a boat from the company that rented them the kayaks. The chairs at Tim's bar in the front line of Port d'Andratx were blown up and one woman had to dribble them like Alexia Putellas to her rivals. The video of the dribbles went viral on WhatsApp, as did the man recounting how the Britannia cruise liner broke its moorings and then collided with the Castillo de Arteaga oil tanker.

-What a disaster, the wind blew it across the harbour like straw.

President Marga Prohens expressed her support for those affected, thanked the emergency services and called for "great prudence".

The wind was furious with Soller and the Port

Soller and the Port suffered the full consequences of the storm. In a short space of time a 'cap de fibló' shook different parts of the area causing several trees to fall. In the morning four streets in the Port and Sóller had to be closed due to falling trees and branches. These included Carrer Mestral, Carrer Tramuntana and the road leading to the Cooperativa de Sant Bartomeu.

The heavy rains which fell in a short space of time also caused flooding of varying degrees, especially in commercial areas in the Port and also in garages, according to the second deputy mayor, Carlos Darder. In addition, there was also some flooding in the streets, such as sa Ma due to the fact that the sewage system was unable to absorb all the water, or that it was clogged due to fallen branches and leaves.

To this must be added the fall of traffic signs and rubbish containers overturned due to the virulence of the wind. Darder explained early in the afternoon that the entrance to the Municipal Market has been cordoned off due to the danger of the false ceiling falling.

Felanitx was another of the towns affected by the storm. At around half past eleven in the morning, the gusts of wind and rain became more intense. Although no personal injuries were reported, there was a landslide on the façade of the La Macarena bullring. The fall of the structure caused the stones from the overhang to be scattered all over the street, cutting off traffic. The Local Police reported that there were no injuries.