Lightning blitz, Majorca flooded

Arta was the area worst hit by the heavy rain which knocked power supplies out, caused severe flooding to shops, restaurants and car parks and led to the partial collapse of a school wall.

Fire crews from Manacor and Can Picafort were called in to provide back up to the local fire brigade, the Guardia Civil and the Civil Protection units which were not only having to try and keep the rest of the wall standing, but also pump out local buildings. The heaviest rain, 116 litres per square metre fell in the Molí de Son Leu area of Arta between 8am on Thursday and 8am yesterday; 109 litres fell per square metre in Arta town, 105 in Lluc, where it turned in to hail and snow, 28 litres were recorded in Palma, 21 at Minorca airport and 11 in Ibiza.

Some area of the island, in particular Arta and Capdepera, suffered brief power cuts, but electricity company GESA said yesterday afternoon that it was satisfied with how the Balearic grid had withstood the heavy thunder storm with only a couple of hundred people left without power over night.

Majorca was hit by 885 bolts of lightening in the 24 hour period from 8am Thursday to 8am yesterday, Ibiza 290 and Minorca 27.
The Balearics remains on weather alert today with more heavy rain, turning to snow up high, expected this morning.
In Majorca, 60 litres of rain could fall in just 12 hours with the met. office warning that today's storm could dump 30 litres of rain on the island in just one hour as it reaches its peak.

However, the biggest concern for the emergency services today is the gale force wind.
Winds peaking at between 100 and 120 kilometres per hour are forecast along the north of Majorca and in Minorca.
Some improvement is forecast for tomorrow, although conditions will remain wet, windy and chilly.