After Storm: Trash Avalanche at the Sea Near S'Arenal — Beach Section Closed

Red Flag, Loud Seagulls and Lots of Trash — Beach Closed

Early Thursday morning, lifeguards with red flags stood at the barrier, and residents shook their heads. After the heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday, the water of the Jueus Torrent carried large amounts of household waste, plastic and other debris directly into the sea in front of S'Arenal. The municipality of Llucmajor closed a section of the beach: the hygienic situation was deemed unacceptable for bathers, according to the official reason.

I was yesterday around 9 a.m. at the Paseo; the wind smelled of the sea and old seaweed, plus a sharp odor of washed-up trash. Plastic bottles, shopping bags, even pieces of beach furniture lay among swirls of seaweed. The seagulls had already taken over the breakfast service, scouring the bags for food.

Cleanup in progress, reopening uncertain

In the morning, excavators and workers with shovels were at the beach; the piles of trash were loaded into containers. According to the town hall, the release of the bathing area will be decided only after water tests — it concerns bacteria levels and pollutants. When exactly the samples will be available is still open; authorities speak of a few days.

On the Palmesaner side of the torrent, a lot has also been washed ashore, but swimming there has so far remained allowed. This shows how locally different the consequences of sudden floods can be: a few meters can change the situation.

A Piece of Island That Looks Different Usually

The affected coastal stretch is not among the fine beach areas with hotel developments in the premium segment. The buildings are older, the hotels rather plain — yet many young guests come here every year. For residents, it is annoying: beach walks and early coffee by the sea suddenly have a different soundtrack, namely the groaning of sweepers and the clatter of metal.

If you plan to go to the sea in the next few days: pay attention to barriers and signs. The authorities ask you not to throw trash into torrents and to report hazards. It is not just unsightly — during storms it can also endanger bathing safety.

Where is the solution? In the short term, shovels and containers help. In the medium term, better prevention along the inflows, regular checks and a bit of consideration are needed: pick up trash, do not litter. It's simple, but we now see what happens if it's not done.