Last week, the Balearic Islands faced severe weather conditions as flash flooding prompted the evacuation of hundreds of residents and tourists.
The islands experienced intense downpours and thunderstorms on Wednesday and Thursday, with some areas receiving approximately 100mm of rain within 24 hours.
Sóller, Mallorca, recorded the highest rainfall, with 114mm over 24 hours, including a significant 68mm within just one hour and 19mm in a mere 10 minutes.
The heavy rains were accompanied by gusts reaching 62mph, causing considerable damage to properties and infrastructure. Many vessels in the surrounding waters were affected, with one fisherman requiring rescue by the coastguard. Several smaller boats were sunk, and two yachts collided.
Hurricane Ernesto weakens to a tropical storm, impacting Bermuda and the eastern US.A severe hailstorm even led to the collapse of a supermarket roof. The transport sector also suffered, with over 50 flights canceled and 29 passengers needing rescue from a stranded train.
In the Atlantic, Hurricane Ernesto made landfall in Bermuda on Saturday after impacting the Caribbean as a category 1 storm earlier in the week. The hurricane intensified to category 2 before reaching Bermuda, driven by unusually warm sea temperatures.
However, the system weakened to a category 1 storm due to drier air intrusion. Ernesto’s slow movement exacerbated the damage, bringing sustained winds of 87mph and over 150mm of rain, causing widespread power outages that affected about half of Bermuda’s 64,000 residents.
The storm’s influence extended to the eastern US coast, generating dangerous rip currents and heavy surf. In North Carolina, 23 swimmers required rescue. Ernesto has since weakened to a tropical storm and will continue northeastward.
Alerts remain in effect for dangerous currents along US beaches, while Canada has issued warnings for adverse sea conditions off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. The UK will experience the remnants of Ernesto later this week, leading to increased rainfall and strong winds.