A 20-month-old toddler has died in Spain after being struck on the head by a hailstone during a freak storm in the Catalonia region. Many other people were injured by the huge ice-stones during the 10-minute deluge near Girona on Tuesday evening.
The mayor of La Bisbal d’Emporda, Carme Vall, told Spanish National Television that the girl was with her parents when she was hit by the ball of ice on Tuesday. She died in hospital early on Wednesday.
More than 20 people were treated for injuries after the storm, and the mayor said many cars and buildings had been damaged by the hail. She said that some of the hailstones measured up to 11cm (4ins) in diameter.
Video footage on Spanish media showed the hailstones bouncing like golf balls on cars in the street. More storms were expected in the region on Wednesday.
Heavy storms have been predicted for eastern Spain following severe heatwaves during the summer both on land and in the Mediterranean Sea. Local officials have now reissued violent weather alerts, warning residents that more large hailstones could rain down on the coastal area, which is close to Barcelona.
An unusually hot summer has meant the nearby Mediterranean sea is warmer than usual for this time of year, making violent tropical storms more likely.
