El Ejido, a municipality known for its extensive agricultural activity, has been severely affected by one of the most devastating hailstorms in its recent history. During the night on Monday, at around 22:30 p.m., the sky darkened and hailstones the size of golf balls began to fall, causing havoc in both urban and rural areas. Local witnesses described the scene as surreal, comparing the impact of the hail to the sound of 'bullets' hitting surfaces, leaving many gasping at the damage.
The consequences of this storm have been shocking.Within minutes, cars, houses and even the town's vital greenhouses were seriously damaged. In some areas of the town, hail continued to fall for more than 30 minutes, leading to greenhouse roofs being completely destroyed, leaving the agricultural industry in a critical state. Analysis of hail events in Spain.
⚠️ More videos are coming in from the El Ejido area where the hailstorm has been spectacular. Many vehicles have been damaged. pic.twitter.com/tzRUjxDnqA
— AMETSE (@MeteoSE) October 28, 2024
Damage to greenhouses and millions in losses
The agricultural sector has been one of the hardest hit by this storm, given that El Ejido bases a large part of its economy on its famous greenhouses. According to initial estimates, More than 12.000 hectares of crops under plastic have been affectedTomatoes, peppers and other vegetables have suffered serious damage, with structures collapsing and plastic completely torn. The Union of Small Farmers (UPA) has pointed out that 'this is a catastrophic situation', with economic losses that could easily exceed 30 million euros, although the figures could grow as the damage assessment continues in the coming weeks. What are green storms?
The mayor of El Ejido, Francisco Góngora, has described the situation as 'Dantesque', stressing that local farmers are facing a significant loss of income, something especially serious in the middle of the harvest season. 'It is important to channel all the information and collect data on the damage caused in order to request the necessary aid,' added the local leader, who has also called on regional and national authorities to provide immediate support.
Damage to vehicles and homes
Meanwhile, hundreds of vehicles parked on the streets have suffered Damage to windows and bodywork. The hailstones, up to 9 centimetres in diameter, broke windows and left multiple dents. Local companies specialising in glass repair, such as Glassdrive and Carglass, have had to mobilise staff from other provinces to be able to deal with the large number of emergencies. Miguel Vera, from Glassdrive, said that they are in what he described as 'the hailstorm of the century' and that they will receive around 350 glass repairs a day to be able to respond. Measuring hail: size and weight.
La #DANA destroys the #greenhouses from the area #ElEjido causing serious damage to roofs and crops that were in full production. If your farm has been affected, make your DAMAGE REPORT ✍️ at your office chosen.es/dana
— COAG Almeria (@COAGAlmeria) October 29, 2024
Damage assessment and emergency measures
As the hours passed, the emergency machinery began to activate the first response protocols. Early on Tuesday morning, the Government's sub-delegate in Almería, José María Martín, visited the affected areas together with Mayor Góngora to supervise the damage first-hand. Martín stated that 'it is an unprecedented situation in the area', and that despite the seriousness of the damage, all administrations are working together to speed up the assessment of damage and subsequent repairs. What to do during a thunderstorm?.
For her part, the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food, Begoña García, has been cautious in her statements, pointing out that 'it is necessary to wait for the full assessment of the damage before making decisions on compensation'. She stressed that the adoption of measures must follow a rigorous process and that the Junta de Andalucía is responsible for this initial assessment.
Roads and public services affected
In addition to damage to private and public property, damage has also been reported Several roads cut off by heavy rains and landslidesAccording to the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), the AL-3303 and other provincial roads were completely blocked due to flooding and mudflows. The DANA has particularly affected this region of western Almería, but problems have also been recorded in the neighbouring province of Malaga. What is a storm?
Fortunately, no personal casualties have been reported, although Mayor Góngora welcomed the fact that the storm began when there were not many people on the streets, which prevented possible human tragedies.
The strong hailstorm that hit El Ejido has left a devastating picture, with thousands of hectares of crops destroyed, cars dented and numerous infrastructures damaged. Local authorities and farmers are now anxiously awaiting any aid that may arrive from both the central government and the Junta de Andalucía. Meanwhile, the community is immersed in the difficult task of returning to normality after these unusual and destructive meteorological phenomena.