THE hurricane-force storms and severe floods which hit the Balearics during October were some of the worst natural disasters to have hit Spain this year.
The first heavy storm to hit Majorca lashed the island in September and caused widespread flooding, in particular to the new Palma metro system which has since been closed pending repairs and a complete structural review.
Then, at the beginning of October, Palma faced the brunt of a hurricane-force storm. Winds of 109 kilometres per hour, left 20 people injured, one which proved fatal, and caused massive damage especially the city's main industrial estates where businesses have only just started to receive compensation.
No sooner had the island recovered from the battering, gale force winds and torrential rains returned flooding a host of towns and villages around Palma and killing a tourist who was swept away by the raging flood waters in Esporlas.