Majorca flood in 1989, 2018 i 2020.
Majorca flood in 2020, 2018 and 1989. When going on vacation, we are usually worried about the weather. And this is not surprising. Everyone wants to take advantage of the holidays one hundred percent. Currently on the Internet we can find thousands of information about Majorca, as well as the weather on it. However, on most of these sites you will not learn that in the fall and winter you can find the weather here from hell. If you follow my blog or facebook, you certainly know that winter in Majorca is not 30 degrees and sunbathing. You know that the weather can be perverse.
Is a trip to Majorca off-season a good idea?
When you go to Majorca during the season or out of season, you always take the risk. There is no weather guarantee in Majorca. I live in Majorca not too long, and I have already seen hail falling in August, flood in September 2018, huge downpours with hail and flooding of houses and hotels in the high season of 2019, and now the January flood of 2020. Probably many of you recognize that it is all the change climate. But are you sure?
Does climate change affect the current weather in Majorca?
Opinions are very divided. Scientists say that such things have always happened in Majorca and that all this is very normal. However, I hear from locals that such things have not happened for many years. And on the other hand, I hear that it’s all wine of extensive beach tourism. And there’s a bit of truth in all this. If hotels and villas were not built on the first shoreline, they would not be flooded. It would not be such a big problem then, because instead of houses there would be fields or beaches that flooded – would not disturb anyone. However, tourism began to expand in Majorca 60 years ago. Already then real estate and roads were being built where it should not be.
Has the weather changed drastically during these 60 years?
Yes of course. That’s right, television and newspapers lie and manipulate us. We learn a lot of information from there. However, we all probably know that climate change is not a joke. The earth is warming up, including water. Glaciers are melting, all-ocean levels are rising. In the last century, because of human work, the climate just got warmer. And nature is doing everything it can to cool it down. It’s all nature that is simply looking for solutions. Such things will probably happen more often.
Majorca flood – year 1989.
There was a huge flood in 1989. Among other things, three people were then pulled in by a water thriller in Portocolom. This flood was comparable to that of 2018 by locals. Rainfall of 150 to 200 liters per square meter was recorded. Of course, the biggest losses occurred in Sant Lorenzo de Cardessar. At that time many streets in that town were closed and about 200 houses were destroyed.
Why is Sant Lorenzo de Cardessar most exposed?
The location of this town is unfortunately not favorable for floods. It is through these canals that water from mountains or rainfall should flow freely. Why, however, happens differently during heavy rains? Because, where the water should find an outlet, houses, buildings, roads or even cars are built. This blocks the water outlet. As you can see, man has a lot to do with this. The flood occurred in autumn, in September. For those willing, an article about the 1989 flood: https://elpais.com/diario/1989/09/07/espana/621122406_850215.html
Majorca flood – year 2018.
The flood occurred at the beginning of October. Everything was happening really fast. It rained a few days, but one day it rained all day. I will add that in October it is the end of the season, so tourists still came to the island. I live in S’illot, which is in great danger of flooding. Fortunately, on the 3rd floor, so there was nothing more than a roof that was flooded with rain. We had no idea about the flood until the lights of the fire brigade began to reach us through the windows. We went out onto the balcony and noticed huge traffic jams, traffic police and coaches with tourists who were running with suitcases on their heads in a downpour to hotels. The bus would still not reach. The town of Sant Lorenzo de Cardessar has suffered most again.
What happened?
Again, many streets were closed and the streets were flooded, and apartment blocks up to the 2nd floor (or more). The damage was huge. About 10 people were killed, including a five-year-old whom his mother tried to save, who was also killed. The search for the 5 year old lasted several days. The grounds were combed by helicopters. Boy was found in a garden, wrapped in branches, a few kilometers from the place of disappearance. Three tourists were killed – two Englishmen in a taxi who were trapped in the water and a Dutchwoman. Precipitation ranged from about 138 to 260 liters per square meter. Over 300 houses and over 300 cars were damaged. Some of them can still be found in the sea.
A few links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnt3ZXqbV3Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hwdhu1HXR0
Majorca flood – year 2020.
This flood took place in January. The scale of this flood was not as large as in 2018. Precipitation was up to 100 liters per square meter. The wind reached 120 kilometers per hour and the wave height was max. 14 meters. The wave height record has been broken. Previous record was about 6 meters. The record was recorded on the island of Dragonera, located next to Mallorca. No victims have been registered so far. Many houses have been flooded, and I’ve never seen such huge waves in Majorca. Houses located on the first shoreline and the promenade next to them were severely damaged.
Which parts of Majorca have been the most affected?
Capdepera became the most damaged wife in Mallorca, including around Cala Ratjada. Repair work is underway throughout Majorca. This flood was not the most powerful, but the coast was damaged the most because of very strong and high waves. In 2018, there was no road damage like this. Roads were covered with sand and big stones. Threw concrete benches and posts. The villages most exposed to floods have once again been incredibly damaged.
Films from the floods in 2020.
All the links presented were obtained thanks to the consent of Juan Jesus (Juan gracias!) And thanks to sources from newspapers, such as Diario de Mallorca or El Pais, IB3 or Cronica Balear. I got photos from Cala Millor thanks to one of the groupers – Carsten Graf (Carsten dank!). Links below:
https://www.facebook.com/juanjesus.sonesmas.9/videos/2628290817447208/
https://www.facebook.com/juanjesus.sonesmas.9/videos/2628290847447205/
https://www.facebook.com/IB3noticies/videos/180474783355094/
https://www.facebook.com/IB3org/videos/2670597576369823/
https://www.facebook.com/cronicabalear.es/videos/2868651836535640/
https://www.facebook.com/newcrazymonkey/videos/185774589482026/
I do not advise anyone to go to the island during this period.
Of course, it’s risky. Nobody wants to spend thousands of zlotys and hit a disaster on the spot. Everyone counts on the sun and crystal clear water. However, you must remember that Majorca is an island and the weather here can change rapidly. We are, we can say, in the open sea. And Majorca, despite being the largest Balearic island, is still not one of the great ones.
You can read on the internet that there are no sharks or whales in Majorca.
And it happens that they are. A year ago, a big whale was thrown out on the beach at Cala Millor. You will read that there are no tsunamis in Majorca, and they have happened. Maybe not some huge ones, because they were mini tsunamis, BUT THEY ARE. Anything can happen and you have to keep that in mind. At any time of the year. I admit that autumn and winter are the most vulnerable, but in spring and summer we also occasionally encounter dangerous downpours.
Where and how best to check the weather in Majorca?
Okay, you can of course use the statistics provided on the internet. That’s what they are for. However, remember that the average temperatures are given there. And of course, remember that the temperature during the day can really rise. Air and water. I always check the weather on the elevator and eltiempo website. All you need to do is enter the place you are interested in and enter eltiempo after it. Then you will see the suggestion of this page. Often, the pages show, after all, what is different than in reality. Unfortunately. It’s Majorca’s charm, the weather here can be perverse and violent.
Which months are the worst in terms of rainfall?
The worst months in terms of precipitation are November, December and January, and then gradually April and May and October. Of course, the best months are June, July and August. Then, as rainfall occurs, it is usually for 10 minutes, after which we enjoy the sun again. I cordially invite you to read the post that I wrote about the weather in Majorca in individual months: https://namajorce.pl/hiszpania/wyspy-balearow/majorka/pogoda-na-majorce/
Social media:
I invite you to follow me on Facebook and Instagram. This is where you will find the latest information about what is happening in Majorca. About the weather, floods, events and beautiful places in Majorca. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/namajorcepl and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/namajorce.pl.
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