An orange weather warning has been issued across Mallorca, with holidaymakers urged to take "extreme precautions" as thunderstorms, torrential rain and winds of up to 60mph threaten the island. The stormy conditions are expected to continue into Friday.
Temperatures and Wind Gusts
Temperatures could climb as high as 39C in northern and northeastern parts of the island. Spain's meteorological agency Aemet has warned that gusts could reach around 60mph during the thunderstorms. Yellow warnings are also in place along parts of the island's coastline due to rough seas, where winds could reach around 50mph.
Warnings Across the Balearic Islands
Menorca is under a separate yellow warning as unsettled conditions spread across the Balearic Islands. Aemet has warned conditions could become particularly severe during the early hours of Friday. In a statement, the agency said: "On Friday the 21st, very strong storms could affect the Balearic Islands during the early morning, especially Mallorca and Menorca, where there is a possibility of very strong gusts, even hurricane-force ones."
Heavy Rain and Damage
Aemet has also issued heavy rain warnings across parts of mainland Spain, with as much as 40mm forecast to fall in a single hour in areas including Alicante, Valencia and Barcelona. The warnings come after rough seas damaged four boats in the municipality of Calvia on Wednesday night, with oil spilling into the sea, reports Majorca Daily Bulletin. Rosa Ruíz, a member of a Majorcan environmental group, said: "This incident is causing a serious visual and environmental impact in the area. There is grave concern about the imminent risk of pollution from the oil spills in the coastal area of high ecological and tourist value."
Elsewhere in Spain
Elsewhere in Spain, three people were killed and two babies injured after flash flooding and a landslide struck the village of Manzanedo de Valdueza in Castile and Leon on August 16. Severe weather has also hit the Costa del Sol, with torrential rain and hail reported across the area. Granada, meanwhile, has been shaken by two earthquakes in recent days. One measured magnitude 5.0, with its epicentre in Alhendín, before a 4.6-magnitude tremor struck on August 18. At least three people were injured following the second quake, while damage from the tremors included parts of buildings collapsing and rocks falling onto cars.
