Severe weather in Mallorca: Ex-hurricane Gabrielle causes floods and damage

Heavy rain and hail: A Monday that will linger for a long time

The start of the week on Mallorca was not mild: What had been moving over the Atlantic as Hurricane Gabrielle hit the island on Monday as a strong storm system. In the downtown area of Inca, around midday streets turned into small rivers, on the Avinguda Antoni Maura branches rolled by, and the patter of hail was so loud that windows vibrated. In some neighborhoods water reached up to the doorstep — basements were flooded, cars floated away.

Fire Department: Tough tally by afternoon

The emergency services report a busy day: By around 16:30, more than a dozen larger incidents were recorded. It mainly involved pumping out basement water, debris on rural roads, and several small fires caused by lightning. The municipalities Selva, Inca, Muro and Santa Margalida registered the most incidents — Selva was particularly affected.

The road between Mancor de la Vall and Selva had to be temporarily closed: mud and debris blocked the road, cleanup crews worked into the evening to reopen the route.

Rail traffic and infrastructure

In Inca there was a lightning strike at the train station — this temporarily knocked the connection to Palma offline. The railway company announced repairs afterward; delays accumulated: travelers had to cope with unscheduled stops and long waiting times. Traffic lights and some municipal facilities were also damaged.

Weather warnings and caution

The national weather service Aemet described the situation as precarious and raised the warning level for parts of the south, east and the Tramuntana mountains to Orange. Meteorologists expect locally very high rainfall totals — up to 50 liters per square meter in just one hour, and significantly more within twelve hours.

The authorities responded: Palma activated the municipal emergency plan, the island council closed the Promenade Paseo Marítimo from 23:00. Several parks, including Bellver, remained closed. The recommendation is clear: avoid non-essential travel, stay away from vulnerable areas at night.

What residents should know now

If you are directly affected, secure electrical household items, avoid flooded streets and follow the guidance of emergency services. Many neighboring towns were still dealing with cleanup in the evening; the easing of the situation is expected to begin only from Wednesday. And yes: pack rubber boots, even if it sounds silly — the streets look like after a rain shower that lingers.

We will stay on it and report further if the situation changes or if new closures and restrictions are announced.