Violent hailstorm leaves Tarragona streets underwater

Torrential rain, hailstones measuring more than 5cm and powerful winds of up to 117km/h caused flooding, damage and travel disruption across Tarragona

A powerful storm swept across Tarragona on Monday August 24, bringing torrential rain and large hail that left streets flooded and caused damage and disruption across the city.

More than 77 litres of rain per square metre was recorded in Tarragona, while Vinyols i els Arcs received 88 litres in just three hours. In some areas, hailstones measured more than 5 centimetres across.

The worst of the weather hit Tarragona and parts of the surrounding province, where the sheer intensity of the storm quickly caused problems on the ground. Streets and underpasses were flooded, trees and branches came down and vehicles were damaged. Some windows were also broken by the hail.

Among the areas affected were the Serrallo neighbourhood, Avenida Vidal i Barraquer, the Francolí and Entrevies industrial areas and the N-340 in Bonavista. Emergency crews also had to help drivers who became trapped by floodwater in Tarragona and El Vendrell.

The storm caused disruption to public transport, with rail services on the R14, R15, R16 and R17 lines suspended in several areas because of flooding on the tracks. There were also intermittent problems on the AP-7 after branches fell onto the road.

Emergency services were kept busy throughout the evening. The 112 emergency number received more than 769 calls related to flooding and damage, while the Bombers de la Generalitat dealt with 402 incidents.

Three people were taken to hospital after the storm, although none of the injuries was considered serious.

Perhaps one of the most unusual consequences of the hail was reported at the Fishermen's Guild in Tarragona, where apparently dozens of pigeons died after being struck by the large hailstones.

The scenes left plenty of people commenting online about just how intense the storm had been. One 61-year-old wrote that they had “never heard of anything like this” when it came to weather phenomena.

Another person commented: “There have always been summer storms, but this violent?”

The Ayuntamiento de Tarragona closed parks and advised residents to stay at home and avoid travelling by car while the worst of the weather passed.

The storm also prompted warnings to stay away from rivers, streams and other areas at risk of sudden flooding, with the Agència Catalana de l'Aigua issuing a flood warning for Baix Camp.

Seee also: Watch! Spectacular downburst captured over Lorca as storm sweeps across the area

Image: Social media