The wind leaves more than a thousand calls to emergencies and eight injured

BarcelonaThis Sunday's gale caused 1,098 calls to the 112 emergency telephone number and 721 alerts to the Generalitat Firefighters between Saturday and Sunday evening. Most were concentrated in the Girona demarcation – the area most affected by the wind is Baix Empordà – but there were also some incidents in other locations. Eight people were also injured, none seriously, as a result of the wind.

In Camarasa (Noguera), three people were slightly injured when, at midday, the wind blew a metal sheet from the roof of a caravan in a campsite next to the Sant Llorenç de Montgai reservoir. In Platja d'Aro (Baix Empordà), another man was slightly injured, also in a campsite, by a falling tree, and two women were hit by objects blown down by the wind, one in a more serious condition in Blanes (la Selva) and another in a mild condition in Calonge (Baix Empordà). In addition, two people were treated for minor injuries in La Jonquera (Girona).

The majority of incident alerts attended by 112 were due to structural problems in buildings, such as parts of facades or balcony elements that could fall, damaged street furniture, or falling branches or trees. In Molló (Ripollès), the gale left the town without electricity for a few hours.

The gale is expected to last until Tuesday, but Sunday is anticipated to be the day with the most intense gusts. Civil Protection maintains the alert for the Ventcat emergency plan. So far, the strongest gusts have been recorded in Portbou (160 kilometers per hour), and at the Darnius-Boadella reservoir (119 kilometers per hour).

On Saturday evening, Rodalies announced that parts of lines R11 and R3 would be cut this Sunday morning due to the strong wind. The forecast was for the closure to last until 1 p.m., but it was extended past 5 p.m. The closure affected the R11 between Figueres and Portbou and the R3 between Vic and Ripoll. In both cases, an alternative bus service was implemented, which remains in place despite the railway traffic resuming.

The Meteorological Service of Catalonia (Meteocat) had issued a level red alert affecting five counties due to the forecast that on Sunday gusts could exceed 120 kilometers per hour. For this reason, Civil Protection activated the alert phase of the Ventcat emergency plan, and on Saturday afternoon sent an ES-Alert message to mobile phones in Alt Empordà, Berguedà, Garrotxa, Ripollès, Solsonès, and northern Cerdanya. The alert requested that unnecessary travel and outdoor activities be avoided during Sunday.

The forecast for this Sunday was that the wind would be widespread, but in these counties it was predicted to be more intense. The deputy director of Civil Protection, Imma Solé, explained on Saturday that, in addition to the wind, a period of strong waves was expected, especially on the north coast, and snow, mainly in the westernmost Pyrenean area. Regarding snowfall, she predicted that it could leave thicknesses of at least 10 centimeters at altitudes above 900 meters, especially in the Vall d'Aran and north of Alta Ribagorça and Pallars Sobirà. At high altitudes, Solé assured that thicknesses of 30 and 40 centimeters could be reached. She also warned that the snowfall could cause phenomena such as whirlwinds, which produce a significant drop in temperature, loss of visibility, and disorientation, for which reason she has asked for "great vigilance" in mountain activities.

Firefighters Reinforcement

Given these forecasts, the Generalitat Firefighters have reinforced their deployment for this Sunday, with more personnel available to deal with the foreseeable increase in simultaneous services due to the meteorological situation. In all regions where an emergency is declared, there is a reinforcement of staff in professional fire stations and control rooms, and volunteer fire stations have also been opened.

In the Girona demarcation, where forecasts indicated a higher risk level, there are also reinforcements among command staff and a higher reinforcement of firefighters in the stations and the territorial control room. Reinforcements from the mountain Special Actions Group (GRAE) units from the La Seu d'Urgell and Olot bases and their commanders have also been activated, as well as personnel from the Forestry Actions Group (GRAF) units.