Hundreds of people were evacuated as flash flooding struck homes and holiday lets in the Balearic Islands last week, with many parts receiving about 100mm of rain within 24 hours.
Heavy downpours and severe thunderstorms hit the islands on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing hail and strong winds. The local authorities told people not to leave their homes on Wednesday, when the weather was at its worst. The town of Sóller, on Mallorca, received the highest 24-hour total of 114mm, but 68mm of this fell within just one hour, with 19mm falling in 10 minutes.
Gusts of up to 62mph caused damage to roofs and trees, and made waters around the islands unsafe for many vessels. One fisher had to be rescued by the coastguard after getting into difficulty, while several smaller vessels were sunk, and two yachts were reported to have collided.
One particularly heavy burst of hail contributed to the collapse of a supermarket roof, and more than 50 flights were cancelled, causing havoc for the islands’ tourism industry. Twenty-nine passengers had to be rescued from a train stranded by flood water.
On Saturday, Hurricane Ernesto passed directly over Bermuda, after hitting the Caribbean days earlier as a category 1 storm. It strengthened to category 2 as it approached Bermuda, fuelled by above-average sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic, and there were fears that it could strengthen further to category 3. Fortunately, an intrusion of drier air weakened the system, which dropped back to category 1 before making landfall.
Ernesto moved relatively slowly across the archipelago, accentuating the damage as the extreme weather lingered through Saturday. Maximum sustained winds of 87mph were recorded, along with more than 150mm of rain in places. Power outages were widespread, and about half of the 64,000 population were left without power on Saturday morning.
Farther afield, the effects of Ernesto were felt along the eastern US coast, with associated swells causing strong rip currents, alongside heavy surf from heightened winds. Several swimmers needed to be rescued, including 23 at one beach in North Carolina.
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Ernesto has now degraded to a tropical storm, and will continue north-east over Monday and Tuesday. Cautions remain for dangerous currents at US beaches, while Canada has issued warnings for adverse sea conditions east of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Later this week, the remnants of Ernesto will reach the UK, accentuating rainfall and blustery winds.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
