Blown away

Gale force winds and torrential rain battered the Balearics causing chaos to maritime traffic and forcing police to close a number of flooded roads. Winds peaked at 90 kilometres per hour, forcing the authorities to close Ciutadella and Mahon harbours in Minorca and forcing the Balearic fishing fleet to remain in port. The worst of the gales hit the Balearics at 5am, bringing down trees and causing structural damage to buildings across the region with all the emergency services on full alert. A number of boats were also damaged in marinas, especially in Ibiza where the main port and La Savina in Formentera were still closed last night as seas remained heavy with waves reaching heights of five metres. Firemen in Majorca responded to over 20 incidents in the early hours to remove trees brought down onto vehicles or blocking roads. The emergency services will be on storm alert today as the gale force winds will return. Winds will reach 90 to 100 kilometres per hour again this morning accompanied by more torrential rain, however the wind and rain is forecast to move out of the region and on towards Italy this afternoon with temperatures, which have dropped an average of four degrees over the past few days, climbing moderately.