Latest news with #OlgaPané
Belfast Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Belfast Telegraph
Spain earthquake: Everything we know about the tremor which rocked tourist hotspot
People in more than 50 towns, including tourist hotspot Malaga, could feel the quake. "I was sleeping, and the whole house shook for a few seconds," a tourist in Agua Amarga in Almeria told Spanish newspaper El País. "There was an incredible roar. It woke up my entire family and our neighbours in the complex." The earthquake follows a weekend of severe floods and thunderstorms in Spain. Footage shared on social media showed streets turned into rivers, with floodwater swamping shopfronts and restaurants. Health minister Olga Pané said to Catalan News: 'We have decided to evacuate and transfer the 71 patients to the hospitals of Sant Camil, Bellvitge, Igualada, Sant Boi, and Viladecans.' Weather warnings have been activated for 25 provinces, as the country prepares for severe storms in Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza, Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona, and Castellón. Here's everything we know about the earthquake so far: When was it recorded? The earthquake was recorded by Spain's National Geographic at 7.13am on Monday. Where did it hit? The earthquake struck off the coast of Almería, southeast Spain, almost two miles below sea level. The impact was felt in more than 50 towns across seven provinces, most intensely in 17 municipalities in Almeria and parts of North Africa, according to local reports. Malaga was hit the hardest, and areas such as Granada, Jaen, Murcia, Alicante and Albacete were also affected. How severe was the earthquake? The earthquake had a magnitude of 5.4, recorded as IV or V on the European Macroseismic Scale, which equates to "widely observed" to "strong", according to the IGN. It was more powerful than the one that hit Lorca in 2011, which resulted in nine deaths, including a pregnant woman. However, because this earthquake did not hit land, the destruction has been less severe. Earthquakes under 6.0 rarely cause serious damage to well-built structures. Andalusia emergency services received 25 calls from the public, according to El País. However, no injuries have been reported so far. Still, buildings have been damaged across the region. Almeria's airport ceiling collapsed, causing tiles to hang from the ceiling in a cafe in the departures lounge. A worker told local news: 'We heard some noises one after the other and then a loud bang and a great cloud of dust appeared. 'It was a real scare for us. 'There were airport workers having their first coffee of the day but luckily no one was injured.' Meanwhile, the ceiling of a Toyota showroom in Huercal de Almeria was also damaged by the earthquake. In Pictures - large amounts of rubbish left after Twelfth celebrations Is it safe to travel to Spain? The UK Foreign Office has not activated travel warnings for Spain following the floods or earthquake. However, it suggests that travellers should 'check weather warnings from Spain's meteorological office (AEMET) before travel and follow the advice of the local authorities.'
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hospital evacuated as half of Spain hit by heavy rain
Dozens of patients were forced to evacuate a hospital in Spain as the country was battered by heavy rain and flooding. At least 71 people fled Penedès Regional Hospital, south west of Barcelona, as streets across Catalonia turned to rivers following flash floods on Saturday, according to Spanish media. More than half of Spain's 50 provinces were under weather warnings over the weekend as torrential rain brought chaos to streets, businesses and holiday plans. Spain's weather forecaster AEMET issued severe storm warnings for Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza, Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona, and Castellón. Health minister Olga Pané told Catalan News: 'We have decided to evacuate and transfer the 71 patients to the hospitals of Sant Camil, Bellvitge, Igualada, Sant Boi, and Viladecans.' Ms Pané said the hospital's electricity supply was cut off after a wall collapsed during the torrential downpour. In Cubelles, a town 30 miles from Barcelona, a witness claimed to have seen a woman and child swept away by floodwater after they fell into the swollen Foix river. Firefighters rushed to searched the river overnight, with underwater units, helicopters and drone teams scouring the area. At least 155mm of rain fell in Barcelona on Saturday in just two or three hours, according to AEMET. In Navarra, 97mm of rainfall was recorded. Heavy rain was also recorded in Zaragoza and Girona. Footage showed vehicles trapped under murky water, with some vehicles swept away by rivers flowing down streets. One video captured cars drifting along the swollen El Cardener river after it burst its banks, while others were seen completely submerged. Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME), a branch of the army responsible for disaster relief, was also deployed to Zaragoza to assist with emergency response efforts. Rosa Montserrat Fonoll, mayor of Cubelles, said: 'I've never seen anything like this in Cubelles'. She added that 200 cubic meters per second flowed through the town. Ms Fonoll said some residents were still without electricity or running water, and others were unable to leave their homes. At the peak of the storm, emergency services received 1,200 calls. The storm was caused by a DANA (High-level Isolated Depression). They can cause sudden shifts in weather, bringing intense rainfall and storms within minutes. Last year, a similar weather event caused devastating floods in Valencia, leading to the death of 227 people.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hospital evacuated as half of Spain hit by heavy rain
Dozens of patients were forced to evacuate a hospital in Spain as the country was battered by heavy rain and flooding. At least 71 people fled Penedès Regional Hospital, south west of Barcelona, as streets across Catalonia turned to rivers following flash floods on Saturday, according to Spanish media. More than half of Spain's 50 provinces were under weather warnings over the weekend as torrential rain brought chaos to streets, businesses and holiday plans. Spain's weather forecaster AEMET issued severe storm warnings for Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza, Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona, and Castellón. Health minister Olga Pané told Catalan News: 'We have decided to evacuate and transfer the 71 patients to the hospitals of Sant Camil, Bellvitge, Igualada, Sant Boi, and Viladecans.' Ms Pané said the hospital's electricity supply was cut off after a wall collapsed during the torrential downpour. In Cubelles, a town 30 miles from Barcelona, a witness claimed to have seen a woman and child swept away by floodwater after they fell into the swollen Foix river. Firefighters rushed to searched the river overnight, with underwater units, helicopters and drone teams scouring the area. At least 155mm of rain fell in Barcelona on Saturday in just two or three hours, according to AEMET. In Navarra, 97mm of rainfall was recorded. Heavy rain was also recorded in Zaragoza and Girona. Footage showed vehicles trapped under murky water, with some vehicles swept away by rivers flowing down streets. One video captured cars drifting along the swollen El Cardener river after it burst its banks, while others were seen completely submerged. Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME), a branch of the army responsible for disaster relief, was also deployed to Zaragoza to assist with emergency response efforts. Rosa Montserrat Fonoll, mayor of Cubelles, said: 'I've never seen anything like this in Cubelles'. She added that 200 cubic meters per second flowed through the town. Ms Fonoll said some residents were still without electricity or running water, and others were unable to leave their homes. At the peak of the storm, emergency services received 1,200 calls. The storm was caused by a DANA (High-level Isolated Depression). They can cause sudden shifts in weather, bringing intense rainfall and storms within minutes. Last year, a similar weather event caused devastating floods in Valencia, leading to the death of 227 people.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Hospital evacuated as half of Spain hit by heavy rain
Dozens of patients were forced to evacuate a hospital in Spain as the country was battered by heavy rain and flooding. At least 71 people fled Penedès Regional Hospital, south west of Barcelona, as streets across Catalonia turned to rivers following flash floods on Saturday, according to Spanish media. More than half of Spain's 50 provinces were under weather warnings over the weekend as torrential rain brought chaos to streets, businesses and holiday plans. Spain's weather forecaster AEMET issued severe storm warnings for Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza, Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona, and Castellón. Health minister Olga Pané told Catalan News: 'We have decided to evacuate and transfer the 71 patients to the hospitals of Sant Camil, Bellvitge, Igualada, Sant Boi, and Viladecans.' Ms Pané said the hospital's electricity supply was cut off after a wall collapsed during the torrential downpour. In Cubelles, a town 30 miles from Barcelona, a witness claimed to have seen a woman and child swept away by floodwater after they fell into the swollen Foix river. Firefighters rushed to searched the river overnight, with underwater units, helicopters and drone teams scouring the area. At least 155mm of rain fell in Barcelona on Saturday in just two or three hours, according to AEMET. In Navarra, 97mm of rainfall was recorded. Heavy rain was also recorded in Zaragoza and Girona. Footage showed vehicles trapped under murky water, with some vehicles swept away by rivers flowing down streets. One video captured cars drifting along the swollen El Cardener river after it burst its banks, while others were seen completely submerged. Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME), a branch of the army responsible for disaster relief, was also deployed to Zaragoza to assist with emergency response efforts. Rosa Montserrat Fonoll, mayor of Cubelles, said: 'I've never seen anything like this in Cubelles'. She added that 200 cubic meters per second flowed through the town. Ms Fonoll said some residents were still without electricity or running water, and others were unable to leave their homes. At the peak of the storm, emergency services received 1,200 calls. The storm was caused by a DANA (High-level Isolated Depression). They can cause sudden shifts in weather, bringing intense rainfall and storms within minutes. Last year, a similar weather event caused devastating floods in Valencia, leading to the death of 227 people.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Climate
- Telegraph
Flooded Barcelona hospital evacuated as heavy rains lash Spain
A hospital in Barcelona was forced to close because of flooding on Saturday after Spain was lashed by heavy rain. Streets turned into rivers in the Catalonian capital and other tourist spots after flash thunderstorms and high winds over the weekend. Two people were reported missing in the town of Cubelles, around 30 miles from Barcelona. A witness claims to have seen a woman and a child cross a bridge, fall into the Foix river and be swept away by floodwaters. Half of Spain's provinces were under storm warnings on Saturday, including Zaragoza, Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona. Barcelona was one of the hardest hit areas, with videos showing outdoor tables and chairs being swept away by floodwaters and cars fully submerged. Olga Pané, the Spanish health minister, said heavy rains forced the evacuation and closure of the Penedès Regional Hospital, after damage to its electrical system. Ms Pané said: 'We have decided to evacuate and transfer the 71 patients to the hospitals of Sant Camil, Bellvitge, Igualada, Sant Boi, and Viladecans.' The storm was caused by a weather phenomenon known as Dana, or isolated depression at high levels. It occurs when a mass of cold air collides with a mass of warm air over the Mediterranean Sea. According to Aemet, Spain's weather agency, Vilafranca des Penedès, south-west of Barcelona, received 155mm (six inches) of rainfall. Aemet recorded nearly 3,200 lightning strikes in Barcelona on Saturday alone. Popular tourist attractions in Barcelona, including the Tibidabo amusement park and Park Güell, were closed, while a ban was imposed on swimming at public beaches. Tourists and locals in Catalonia and Aragon were advised to stay indoors and keep away from flood-risk areas on Saturday, after Aemet placed the area under a red 'extreme risk' alert. On Sunday, emergency crews resumed their search for the two people in the town of Cubelles. Rescue workers from the fire department, Catalan police and a maritime rescue helicopter were deployed to search. Rosa Montserrat Fonoll, the town mayor, told Catalan News: 'I've never seen anything like this in Cubelles.' The flow of water reached 7,070 cubic feet per second through the town. Ms Fonoll said that some residents were still without electricity or running water, and others were unable to leave their homes. At the peak of the storm, emergency services received 1,200 calls. Train services were also disrupted, with Renfe, the national rail operator, cancelling services in Catalonia. By 7pm local time, trains had begun resuming service. A US-bound plane was forced to turn back to Barcelona after hail damaged its nose.
