Tragedy As Toddler Is Killed In Spain Following Freak Hailstone Storm
Spain News
Published: 31 August 2022 14:53 CET
A 20-month-old toddler has died after reportedly being killed by a freak hail storm in the Girona region of Spain.
The child was transferred with serious head trauma to the Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona after being struck by a large hailstone but sadly passed away on Tuesday evening.
The youngster was one of 30 people who were hurt in the La Bisbal d'Empordà area, as a result of blows from hailstones thought to have measured more than four inches in diameter. A woman was also kept in hospital overnight due to the injuries she suffered during the freak storm.
Many of the other 28 victims who were treated at the local La Bisbal Health Centre are said to have sustained nasty cuts and broken bones from the rock-sized ice bombs.
Meteorologists said that the hailstones which came down near the tourist city of Girona close to Spain's north-east border with France were thought to be the largest seen in more than 20 years.
The storm lasted around 15 minutes and started at 7:30 pm on Tuesday evening.
Many home and car windows as well as solar panels and wiring were damaged by the projectiles with the local fire services receiving more than 40 emergency calls from frightened residents.
In one video, the tennis ball-sized hailstones can be seen slamming into a swimming pool causing large splashing. In another, one resident records the incident while being stranded in their vehicle. The vehicle's windscreen is clearly shattered as a result of the bombardment.
In the town, local residents had to take cover in shop doorways with a number of people reporting that the sound of the ice hitting the vehicles sounded like gunshots.
An orange weather warning has been issued with further storms expected in the region on Wednesday and follow weeks of severe heat waves.
Weather experts believe that tropical cyclones called medicanes had increased following the record-breaking heat waves and a rise in sea temperatures due to global warming.
Oceanographer and weather expert Yurima Celdran, said: “Higher Mediterranean temperatures provide a greater source of energy for medicanes and amplify their destructivity.
“Sea temperatures this autumn are expected to be higher than normal and if the necessary atmosphere conditions are in place, it would not be unreasonable to think the Mediterranean could harbour a medicane this year.”
Source
https://spanishnewstoday.com/baby_killed_by_blow_from_hailstones_in_spain_1824128-a.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11163705/One-year-old-girl-killed-4in-HAIL-STONE-horror-storm-Spain.html
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/08/31/giant-hail-stones-kill-toddler-injure-30-spain/
https://www.surinenglish.com/spain/baby-hailstone-death-20220831100624-nt.html
Image Credit: @meteocat
