…Meteorological service predicts more hailstorms

By Biodun Busari

A 20-month-old child has been reported dead after being hit on the head by a hailstone in the Girona region of Catalonia on Tuesday evening.

BBC also reports on Wednesday that about 50 other people sustained injuries, ranging from bruises to bone fractures, following the 10-minute-long strange storm that destroyed roofs, downed power cables and shattered windows.

According to the report, Catalonia’s meteorological service said one of the hailstones measured 10cm (4 inches) in diameter.

It was the largest hailstorm to rain down on the region since 2002.

Firefighters received more than 40 calls from members of the public about damage caused by Tuesday’s storm, mostly from the town of Bisbal d’Emporda.

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One of the stones struck the 20-month-old child who was transferred to a hospital in the nearby city of Girona but later died from her injuries.

“The hail only fell for 10 minutes, but it was 10 minutes of terror,” councillor Carme Vall told local radio, according to AFP news agency.

Catalonia’s president Pere Aragones described the accident as a “tragedy.”

Local officials have now republished violent weather alerts, warning residents that more large hailstones could rain down on the coastal area.

According to intelligence from Catalonia’s meteorological service, hailstorms can occur throughout the year but are most frequently recorded between March and September.

It said a bizarre hot summer is responsible for making the nearby Mediterranean sea warmer than usual for this time of year, making violent tropical storms more likely.