Gale force winds have caused damage across the Balearics. | Fernando Fernández

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Gale force winds have been battering Mallorca from Sunday to Monday 23 December with gusts of more than 140 kilometres per hour and have caused damage in various parts of the island. The 112 emergency service responded to a total of 135 incidents, with 70 incidents recorded in Palma and 22 in Marratxi. Falling trees and landslides were the main problems caused by the strong gusts of wind, which on Sunday night forced an access to Bunyola to be cut off when a tree fell in front of the cemetery, blocking the entire width of the road.

The damage has been particularly visible in the area of Palmanyola, where a palm tree that has fallen on a car and the power line in calle Orquídees has forced technicians to intervene early in the morning to re-establish the service for the neighbours. Also a few kilometres from the town, at the Real Mallorca training grounds, the storm has once again caused damage. The strong gusts of wind have knocked down the fences of part of the Son Bibiloni complex and some of the perimeter of the Tomeu Serra pitch at the Ciutat Esportiva Antonio Asensio.

In Calvia, in Palmanova, the fall of two large trees forced the closure of Miquel dels Sants Oliver street. Local Police and Firefighters of Mallorca, as well as workers from the municipal brigade and Calvia 2000, have intervened in the tasks of cleaning and removing branches. These incidents have caused various damages to street furniture and two parked vehicles, the fall of the balustrade of a private house, damage to a traffic light and the alarm of a crane moved by the wind without consequences.

Over the last 24 hours the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has recorded gusts of over 140 kilometres per hour in the Serra d’Alfàbia (143). Up to 110 kilometres Son Bonet, Airport 106 Santa Maria 103 Palma, Dic de l’Oest 93 Porreres 87 Pollensa.

The strong wind and rough seas affecting the Balearics over the weekend have taken their toll on ferry services on Sunday and will continue this Monday, as reported by the company Baleària. On Sunday the cancellations and modifications affected the routes between Barcelona, Alcudia and Ciutadella, which were cancelled, offering as an alternative a ferry that covers the Barcelona-Palma line during the night of Sunday to Monday. These incidents affected at least six frequencies, such as the one between Alcudia and Ciutadella (18:00) and Ciutadella-Alcudia (20:00), which were cancelled on Sunday 22 December.

For today, 23rd December, Baleària has announced the cancellation of the Alcudia-Ciutadella and Ciutadella-Alcúdia routes, which were to be covered by the ‘Abel Matutes’ ferry, while the Barcelona-Alcudia-Ciutadella route scheduled for 8am will not cover the initial route, with the 9:45am Palma-Barcelona route being offered as an alternative.