News
Wind catches Greater Barcelona by surprise: fallen trees and alert on the streets
A sudden spell of strong wind shook L’Hospitalet de Llobregat on Monday afternoon, with trees, branches and several objects falling onto public streets. The storm disrupted traffic and forced emergency services to intervene at different points in the city, although no injuries were reported.
The most difficult period was concentrated between 18:00 and 19:00. In just sixty minutes, the Bombers de la Generalitat dealt with around twenty incidents related to wind gusts and items that threatened to fall or were blocking streets and pavements.
The 112 emergency number received around 80 calls linked to the episode. A large proportion of the alerts concerned fallen branches, toppled trees and objects moved by the wind, scenes that made it necessary to take extra care when travelling on foot or by vehicle.
The storm caught many residents by surprise in the middle of the afternoon, when there was still activity on terraces, in shops and in the streets. In some areas it was necessary to clear debris from the road and secure elements of street furniture before normality could be restored.
The bad weather also reached Tarragona’s coast. A thunderstorm made it necessary to raise the red flag on around fifteen beaches along the Costa Daurada, where swimming was prohibited and lifeguards asked users to leave the water.
The red flag means that swimming is closed because of serious risk, even when the sea does not appear especially dangerous. The presence of lightning makes beaches and open areas vulnerable places, so the recommendation is to move away from the shore and seek shelter in an enclosed place.
The episode caused no injuries, but it once again showed how quickly a summer afternoon can change in the metropolitan area. High temperatures gave way within minutes to intense 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 entrances and balconies. On the coast, the scene was very different from the usual July one: almost empty sand, lifeguards on watch and red flags flapping in the wind.