Water Masses on Menorca, Stranded Tourists on Mallorca: Unrest on the Balearic Islands

August 16, 2024 – Unpredictable storms have battered the Balearic Islands, with Menorca facing the brunt of the devastation. On Mallorca, the situation is slowly improving, yet numerous visitors remain stranded, possibly for days. Airlines are operating at maximum capacity, but anger is growing among travelers.

Menorca Battles Torrential Rains

The small island of Menorca has been severely impacted by extreme storms. Particularly in the municipality of Es Mercadal, where over 200 liters of rain per square meter were recorded within hours, houses, roads, and farmlands were submerged in water. Individuals had to seek refuge on rooftops due to rising floodwaters.

Authorities released a video showcasing a daring rescue operation, where a helicopter evacuated individuals and their pets from a flooded rooftop. Furthermore, in the town of Alaior, automobiles were swept away by the raging torrents. Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported thus far due to widespread storm warnings.

Mallorca Escapes the Worst

Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, experienced less severe conditions than anticipated. Heavy rainfall and localized flooding did occur, notably in the northwestern town of Sóller, but the highest alert level issued by the national weather service, Aemet, was promptly lifted.

However, these storms have had significant consequences for travelers. Palma Airport has witnessed widespread flight cancellations, totaling 40 on Wednesday alone. Consequently, many tourists are stranded and were forced to spend the night on the airport floor, as reported by local German-language newspapers.

One family of five from Oberhausen, including a young toddler, was informed by Eurowings that their Thursday evening flight home could be postponed until Monday. Moreover, they were notified that instead of flying to Düsseldorf as scheduled, they would be rerouted to Berlin and then to Düsseldorf.

Similar stories have emerged from passengers of multiple airlines. Eurowings expressed regret for the inconvenience, emphasizing their commitment to transporting passengers home as soon as possible. Due to the storm front, numerous flights were canceled on Wednesday and Thursday, leading to a shortage of return flights, exacerbated by the end of summer holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia.