Storm caused hundreds of incidents across the island
Monday, November 10th, 2014
Autumn arrived in Mallorca with force last week and with more rain is forecast this week.
The first wind and rainstorm after the summer left the island with nearly a hundred incidents, none of them serious, but firefighters worked during the period dealing with flooding and fallen trees and other objects on roads.
A state of yellow alert was declared continued until after the last of the heavy rainfall. The emergency services received 525 calls in just six hours because of the problems that the bad weather caused across the Balearic Islands, most of them in Palma where roads were obstructed.
The rain left its mark across the Majorcan terrain. Up until three in the afternoon Lluc was inundated with 46.9 liters per square meter. In sa Pobla 31.2 liters fell, in s’Albufera de Muro it was 30.6L and Palma port recorded 29.6 liters per m2, according data from the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet).
The wind hit with the most force in Porto Colom where gales reached 108 kilometers per hour. In Manacor gales reached 102kph , in Alfàbia (Bunyola) 84kph, and Son Sant Joan and Cap Blanc (Llucmajor) 75kph.
The morning was especially difficult for the emergency services. In Mallorca there were 74incidents recorded before half past one in the afternoon due to flooded homes, commercial premises and streets. Fallen trees,shutters and parts of buildings were also a problem together with the threat that more would fall on the public.
Palma was the worst impacted with 44 incidents during the morning. Access to the city was cut early on by way of water standing on roadways together with the failure of several traffic lights. The tunnel link Vía Alemania with General Riera was flooded and had to be closed to traffic until eleven o’clock in the morning when firefighters pumped water out.
Minor Incidents
The storm caused minor problems in Calvia and Ses Salines, where several incidents were attended respectively. Firefighters and police were involved in Marratxí, Santanyí, Felanitx, Manacor, Campanet, Algaida, Montuïri, Artà, Muro, Inca, Sineu, Sencelles, Maria, Alcúdia, Estellencs, Porreres, Santa Maria, Llucmajor y Esporles.
In addition to the flood waters and falling objects the emergency services intervened in three electrical hazards, two trapped animals, leaking sewage and a ship that had gone adrift.
In Ibiza, the gales pushed a small aeroplane parked at the airport over to the vehicles transit lane, where it had to be removed. Additionally maritime links to Formentera were canceled. In Menorca, there were six incidents dealt with, the outer port of Ciutadella was also closed to shipping.
The forecast for this week is for more unsettled weather and substantial rain.
Palma Airport closes the Módulo ‘A’ for winter
Palma airport last week closed the doors to the majority of module ‘A’ traffic for the winter season in order to match the capacity of the terminal buildings to the actual passenger traffic.
Thus the whole operation of the module ‘A’, arrival and departure traffic of non-Schengen countries and other countries whose origins or destinations require passenger passport control, moves to Module ‘D’, as indicated by Aena in a press release.
Such a large variation of passenger traffic and significant movement occurs at the tourist airport of Son Sant Joan between the summer and winter that the provided measures are Justified. This results in a saving of energy and resources, achieved without compromising the quality of services offered to passengers.
