News
Wind surprises Gran Barcelona: fallen trees and street alert
A sudden episode of strong wind shook L’Hospitalet de Llobregat on Monday afternoon, with trees, branches, and various objects falling in the middle of public streets. The storm disrupted traffic and forced emergency services to intervene at different points in the city, although no personal injuries were reported.
The most difficult period was between 18:00 and 19:00. In just sixty minutes, the Bombers de la Generalitat handled around twenty incidents related to gusts of wind and to elements that threatened to fall or were blocking streets and pavements.
The 112 emergency number received around 80 calls linked to the episode. Many of the alerts reported fallen branches, toppled trees, and objects displaced by the wind—scenes that required extra caution for those walking or driving.
The storm caught many residents by surprise in the middle of the afternoon, when there was still activity on terraces, in shops, and on the streets. In some areas, it was necessary to clear debris from the road and secure urban furniture before normality could be restored.
The bad weather also reached the coast of Tarragona. A thunderstorm forced the red flag to be raised on around fifteen beaches along the Costa Daurada, where swimming was prohibited and lifeguards asked people to leave the water.
The red flag means swimming is closed due to serious risk, even when the sea does not appear especially dangerous. The presence of lightning makes the beach and open areas vulnerable, so the recommendation is to move away from the shore and seek shelter indoors.
The episode did not leave any injuries, but once again showed how quickly a summer afternoon can change in the metropolitan area. High temperatures gave way in just a few minutes to strong gusts, overcast skies, and people rushing to clear terraces or move away from unstable branches.
The image of the day was in the streets of L’Hospitalet, with municipal teams removing trees and residents observing the damage from doorways and balconies. On the coast, the scene was very different from a typical July day: almost empty sand, lifeguards on watch, and red flags flapping in the wind.