A 1-year-old girl died after getting hit by a giant hailstone amid a freak storm that battered Eastern Spain.
The toddler was one of 30 people hurt after receiving direct impacts from hail stones in and around the Catalan town of La Bisbal de l’Emporda, on the east coast of the country.
The storm began at around 7.30 pm on Tuesday, and the 20-month-old girl suffered the deadly blow a few minutes later.
The young girl was rushed to Hospital in Girona but died a few hours later from her head injuries. The nationality of the toddler, and where exactly she was when she was hit by the hailstones that killed her, are not yet known. The hail storm only lasted around 10 to 15 minutes.
A woman was also kept in hospital overnight due to the injuries she suffered during the freak storm.
Many of the other 28 victims who were treated at the local La Bisbal Health Centre are said to have sustained nasty cuts and broken bones from the rock-sized ice bombs.
Meteorologists said that the hailstones which came down near the tourist city of Girona close to Spain’s north-east border with France were thought to be the largest seen in more than 20 years.
In addition, the humongous hail also reportedly struck branches off trees, smashed bocce-ball-sized holes in car windshields, and pounded public squares. In one apocalyptic clip circulating on local media, the ice orbs can be seen creating giant splashes in a pool like frozen depth charges.
The dangerous ice capades may not be over yet, either. According to reports, several areas of Catalonia remain on high alert for “violent weather,” including “the possibility of hailstones over 2 centimeters, winds of more than 25 meters per second [55 mph], and tornadoes.” Meanwhile, Barcelona is currently on “orange alert,” or major risk, for severe rainfall.
In one video, the tennis ball-sized hailstones can be seen slamming into a swimming pool causing large splashing. In another, one resident records the incident while being stranded in their vehicle. The vehicle’s windscreen is clearly shattered as a result of the bombardment.
In the town, local residents had to take cover in shop doorways with a number of people reporting that the sound of the ice hitting the vehicles sounded like gunshots.
An orange weather warning has been issued with further storms expected in the region on Wednesday and following weeks of severe heat waves.
Watch the video report below for more details:
Source: AWM