Disorder caused by a storm - Heavy downpours lead to flooding and flight suspensions at Mallorca's airport.
A severe storm in Mallorca caused major disruptions at Palma airport, forcing all flights to be grounded for a period. The airport's operator, Aena, and Spain's Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, confirmed the news via a statement. As a result, some incoming planes were rerouted to Barcelona and Ibiza, according to local publications "Diario de Mallorca" and "Ultima Hour", quoting the airport's spokesperson. The flight operations resumed approximately an hour later. However, placing things back to normal is a challenging task, and passengers may experience delays until the evening, Aena stressed.
Several photographs shared online capture planes submerged up to their rudders and engines on the submerged runway.
Rampaging rains created pandemonium at Mallorca airport
The downpour not only disarranged the airport's operations but also caused turmoil within the airport boundaries. Flooding engulfed the entryways, car parks, and sections of the terminal - including the tax-free shop and other commercial spaces. The ceilings in certain shops even fell directly onto the shops. Similar incidents occurred at the Playa de Palma, which is known as Ballermann, a popular tourist destination for German revelers.
Roads across the island remained unusually dry on that Tuesday, while Palma endured more than 43 liters of rain per square meter in the afternoon, as per the Spanish weather service Aemet. This is about one-tenth of the rainfall that usually drapes the town in a year.
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The worldwide news outlets reported extensively on the storm in Mallorca, highlighting the flooding at Palma airport.
Despite the clearing skies, damages from the storm's flooding were still prevalent in Palma's popular tourist spots like Playa de Palma.
