Strong winds in Catalonia injure 26 and cause nearly 700 incidents

Strong winds on Thursday left 26 people needing medical attention and triggered nearly 700 incidents across Catalonia.

Of those injured, around half were treated on site and discharged, while the rest were taken to hospitals with minor injuries.

By 4 pm, firefighters had responded to 684 incidents, most involving fallen trees, branches, or street furniture.

The Barcelona metropolitan area recorded the highest number of incidents, over half of the total, followed by Central Catalonia and Tarragona.

The 112 emergency hotline received around 1,200 calls by 4 pm, most from Barcelona and Vallès Occidental. The municipalities with the most calls were Barcelona, Sabadell, and Sant Cugat.

There were also several power outages and infrastructure issues caused by the wind. Energy company Endesa reported that none were major.

The most significant outage occurred in Montblanc, Tarragona, affecting more than 4,000 customers, while another in Conca de Barberà left around 3,500 without service.

One of the most serious incidents took place in Anglesola, in the Urgell county of western Catalonia, where part of the roof of a sports pavilion was torn off and struck a nearby school.

According to firefighters, no students were injured, though they were frightened and had to be evacuated.

In Tàrrega, also in western Catalonia, the Vedruna school was evacuated as strong winds began lifting panels from the roof of the adjacent sports hall.

The R1 line of the Rodalies commuter network was closed between Clot and Badalona stations after a tarpaulin came loose on the tracks due to strong winds.

In addition, a minor secondary road between Sant Feliu de Buixalleu and Arbúcies was closed due to fallen trees.

Barcelona closes parks

Public parks and gardens in Barcelona remain closed on Thursday after the city council activated the Municipal Action Plan for strong winds.

The measure came after Civil Protection issued a VENTCAT wind alert for Barcelona and the surrounding area.

According to the meteorological service, wind gusts could exceed 70 km/h throughout the day.

With strong winds expected in the city, authorities are advising the public to keep up to date with the weather forecast.

They also recommend shutting doors and windows, lowering blinds, retracting awnings, and removing flowerpots and other items from windows and balconies.

When outdoors, stay clear of cornices, walls, and trees, and take extra caution around buildings in poor condition or under construction, looking out for scaffolding or cranes.