Gale Force Winds Batter Catalonia, Disrupting Activity in Terres de l'Ebre and Pyrenees

Spain - Ekhbary News Agency

Gale Force Winds Batter Catalonia, Disrupting Activity in Terres de l'Ebre and Pyrenees

Catalonia has been grappling with a fierce storm that has significantly impacted daily life and economic activities across several of its regions, most notably the Terres de l'Ebre and the Pyrenees. On Saturday, the region endured another day marked by ferocious winds, with Portbou registering a staggering gust of 167 kilometers per hour at 2 PM. This powerful meteorological event has severely limited mobility, forced the suspension of numerous Carnaval parades, and led to the closure, either partial or complete, of most ski resorts in the Pyrenean area.

The consequences of the gale extended beyond recreational disruptions. Widespread damage was reported, including the toppling of trees, power lines, and street furniture. Several localities in the Montsià region suffered power outages, although authorities confirmed no serious personal injuries were sustained. The impact was particularly acute in the southern part of Catalonia during the morning hours. The hurricane-force winds necessitated the prohibition of circulation for trucks exceeding 7,500 kilograms on the AP-7 motorway, specifically between L’Arboç del Penedès and the border with Castellón province.

Further compounding the transportation chaos, several trucks overturned on the AP-7 at L’Hospitalet de l’Infant and on the A-7 at L’Ametlla de Mar. These incidents caused significant traffic disruptions, particularly in the northbound direction. The rail network also felt the brunt of the storm, with services on lines R16 and RT1 forced to reduce speeds. The crucial Mediterranean Corridor rail line experienced a complete service halt between Castellón and Barcelona due to the wind's impact, underscoring the severity of the situation.

In the Pyrenees, the storm brought not only strong winds but also heavy snowfall, affecting several mountain routes. Boí, located in the Alta Ribagorça comarca, recorded a wind gust of nearly 152 kilometers per hour shortly before 4 PM. Between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, the Generalitat Firefighters (Bombers de la Generalitat) responded to a substantial 681 calls for assistance. Of these, 193 calls were in the Metropolitan South Region, 171 in the Terres de l'Ebre, and 136 in Tarragona. The majority of these interventions involved fallen trees, cornices, cables, walls, poles, and urban furniture.

Tortosa emerged as one of the most affected towns in southern Catalonia. The recurring image of rice paddies flooded by seawater in the Ebre Delta was witnessed again, highlighting the vulnerability of coastal agricultural lands to extreme weather. Initial assessments by the Comunitat de Regants de l’Esquerra de l’Ebre (Water Users' Community of the Left Bank of the Ebre) suggest that approximately 400 hectares in the Fangar area have been inundated, with potential losses estimated to exceed one million euros. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of Catalonia, in the Pyrenees, snow depths of 30 to 40 centimeters were reported. In the Empordà region, intense waves reached heights of over four meters, according to information from Protecció Civil (Civil Protection).

Civil Protection sources indicated that while the situation began to improve through the afternoon, strong gusts were still expected in the Pyrenees, Empordà, and southern Catalonia, albeit with reduced intensity. Imma Solé, the deputy director of Civil Protection, expressed hope that conditions would return to normal by midday on Sunday. Adding to the risks in the high mountains, an avalanche in Vilamós (Val d’Aran) briefly buried two individuals, who fortunately managed to extricate themselves without injury. The Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (ICGC) issued a bulletin warning of a Level 4 avalanche risk (on a scale of 5) in the Val d’Aran and northern Pallars Sobirà, valid until Monday. Several other areas, including Alta Ribagorça, Pallars Sobirà, Vall Fosca, the northern slope of Cadí-Moixeró, Ripollès, and Cerdanya, were marked with Level 3 risk, specifically concerning off-piste skiing activities in uncontrolled zones. It is a stark reminder that ten people have already lost their lives to avalanches in the southern Pyrenees this season, prompting an urgent appeal from the Bombers de la Generalitat for extreme caution in high mountain excursions, where the combined dangers of avalanches and fierce winds pose a significant threat.

Ekhbary News Agency