The strong gusts of wind caused by the Atlantic storm ‘Hortense’ caused more than 320 incidents in various municipalities of the Region, according to the Emergency Coordination Center 112. Most of the problems caused by the storm had to do with the collapse of trees and the fall of branches and plates to the public highway. The towns that suffered the most from these gusts were Murcia and Lorca, where more than one hundred incidents were managed.
The railway traffic was interrupted for more than an hour between Alhama de Murcia and Totana by the fall of a palm tree to the train tracks, which was removed by firefighters. The wall of an abandoned industrial warehouse in Alcantarilla also collapsed, without causing personal injury.
In Murcia, the City Council activated the emergency protocol in parks and gardens before the yellow warning. Thus, traffic was cut on Floridablanca Avenue, flanked by trees, to avoid possible accidents. The Floridablanca garden, the Artillery Barracks area and the Santiago and Zaraiche palm grove were also closed to the public. The wind caused the fall of branches in Gran Vía, Ronda Norte and in Constitución, Príncipe de Asturias and Reino de Murcia avenues. Awnings in the Plaza Circular and in Juan de Borbón were also affected, the City Council reported.
Flying corrugated iron sheets
In Lorca, Emergencias attended until noon 130 matters related to the storm. Among the incidents was the fall of several metal plates from the roof of the Ramón Arcas secondary school. A large metal plate that was blown off by the wind also fell on a car that was traveling on Abellaneda Street in the San Cristóbal neighborhood.
The storms knocked down trees in the schools of La Torrecilla and Pérez de Hita and collapsed fences, electrical wiring, traffic signs, posters, tiles and even awnings. The Consistory had to cordon off the entrances to the parks and gardens of the municipality. And the Alamedas and municipal parks were closed.
The storm was also noticed in Águilas, where a eucalyptus on Calle de la U collapsed. The City Council workers had to mark the ficus in the Plaza de España and other large trees that could pose a danger.
In Molina, the strong gusts brought down a large tree at the door of the Serrerías pavilion. In addition, a wall of a wall located on Pablo Iglesias street collapsed. Municipal workers proceeded to seal off these areas and remove both the tree and the debris. And in Alhama, a century-old palm tree fell from the Palmeral garden and a cactus on Mariano Rojas street.
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