Spain recently experienced intense weather conditions due to a DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos), commonly referred to as a cold drop in english. This phenomenon brought heavy rain, hailstorms, and strong winds, significantly affecting various regions across the country, including Murcia, Alicante, and the Balearic Islands. Below is a detailed account of the consequences of these severe weather events.

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Severe Hailstorms in Murcia Region

The DANA had a significant impact on the Region of Murcia, with areas like Puerto Lumbreras experiencing some of the heaviest rainfall. In just one hour, 45 liters per square meter were recorded, causing widespread disruptions. The Guadalentín Valley, coastal areas, and the middle and lower Vegas were particularly hard hit by hailstorms, fallen trees.

Emergency Response in Puerto Lumbreras and Surrounding Areas

During the peak of the storm, areas like Corvera, Baños y Mendigo, Puerto Lumbreras, and Totana experienced intense hailstorms. In Puerto Lumbreras alone, emergency services received about ten calls related to flooding, although no personal injuries were reported. The storm also caused road closures, such as the RM D19 near Cañada de Alba, due to flooding.

Other areas in the region recorded significant rainfall as well, with Totana seeing 14.8 liters per square meter, Perín in Cartagena registering 29.6 liters, Abanilla 23 liters, and La Murta in Murcia 24.2 liters.

Tornado in Mazarrón

One of the most dramatic events occurred in Mazarrón, where a sizable tornado formed near the Camposol urbanization, startling residents. Fortunately, there were no injuries, but the tornado highlighted the severity of the storm.

🌪️ Confirmado: Tornado en el Sureste

Nos llega el video corto del tornado que ha afectado a una zona próxima a la urbanización Camposol (Mazarrón) formado en una super célula.

🎥 Vía Mazarrón al minuto pic.twitter.com/HWrC6jVsML

— AMETSE (@MeteoSE) August 14, 2024

Power and Communication Outages

The storm caused multiple disruptions, including a three-hour power outage in the Canteras district of Cartagena. Residents also experienced temporary loss of communication services due to downed telephone lines, which were restored later in the day.

In Murcia, the storm’s impact was most intense between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm. Strong winds uprooted a tree on Juan de Borbón Avenue, which then fell on a parked car. In Yecla, more than 20 liters per square meter of rain fell, accompanied by strong wind gusts that brought down two trees in the town center. Fortunately, the streets were empty at the time, preventing any injuries.

The Storm Moves Away

Looking ahead, the Aemet predicted that the DANA would continue to affect the Balearic Islands, bringing even more instability to the archipelago. However, the situation in Murcia and the eastern part of the mainland is expected to improve gradually as the storm weakens and moves towards the central Mediterranean.

Widespread Disruptions in the Balearic Islands

The DANA caused significant problems in the Balearic Islands, leading to the cancellation of dozens of flights and the diversion of incoming flights from the UK that could not land. Wind gusts exceeding 90 kilometers per hour were recorded, and the heavy rain caused the temporary closure of the port in Formentera. In Cala Saona, nine people had to be rescued after their sailboat collided with rocks.

La primera tempesta forta de l'episodi ja ha deixat varades més d'una desena d'embarcacions a Formentera.

Els cops de vent ja han superat els 100 km/h a La Savina i al far de La Mola.

📹Sa Sèquia, Formentera pic.twitter.com/BruuynznUb

— El temps IB3 (@TempsIB3) August 14, 2024

Incidents in Alicante and Valencia

In Alicante, firefighters were busy responding to numerous incidents, including pumping out flooded areas and clearing debris from roads. Torrevieja and surrounding areas were particularly affected. Meanwhile, in Ontinyent (Valencia), a supermarket roof collapsed due to the intense rainfall, forcing the evacuation of 300 people, though no injuries were reported.

The Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) issued an orange alert for heavy rains, which remained in effect until midnight. In Callosa de Segura, the storm caused a tree to fall onto a commuter train, leading to a derailment and the closure of the railway line between Murcia and Alicante for most of the afternoon

The DANA brought significant challenges to various parts of Spain, particularly in Murcia, Alicante, and the Balearic Islands. From severe hailstorms and tornadoes to power outages and flight cancellations, the effects of this weather event were widespread. As the storm moves away, recovery efforts will continue, and authorities remain vigilant for any further developments.

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