British family tells of their terror after fleeing Majorca ‘hurricane’: Parents caught up in mayhem had to run for their lives with two children and baby in pram as 75mph wind and torrential rain ravaged island
- EXCLUSIVE: Newly-engaged Jess and Scott had to run through storm with kids
- Holidaymakers have shared footage of the terrifying storms gripping the island
- Footage shows loungers flying through air amid 75mph hurricane-force winds
A British couple have described how they had to run to for their lives with two children and a baby in a pram as 75mph winds and torrential rain battered the island of Majorca.
Jessica Gorman and her fiancé Scott, who got engaged the day before the terrifying storms ravaged the island, said that what had started off as a lovely family stroll to the old town market in Puerto Pollensa soon ‘turned to mayhem’.
Ms Gorman, who is from Reigate, Surrey, told MailOnline how she had to brave the hurricane-force winds with her three-month-old baby Ritchie, five-year-old son Roman and seven-year-old boy Piers because there were no taxis around.
‘We actually had to run as quick as we could for half an hour to our hotel,’ she said. ‘The roads were empty, there were no cars driving, it was like a ghost town. The kids were screaming and we were worried about the baby obviously being so young.
‘It was so windy, I felt like the the pram was moving side to side… it was horrendous.’
It comes as holidaymakers shared footage of tourists running for shelter as sun loungers were sent flying across swimming pools and beaches on the island which is usually associated with blistering heat and sunshine in August.
Jessica Gorman (pictured with family), her fiancé and their three children had to run for their lives during the terrifying Majorca storms
Ms Gorman’s partner Scott had proposed (pictured) to her the day before the storms ravaged the island
The forceful storms hit the island at around 11am and within an hour, there were 84 incidents
Debris was seen flying through the air in Majorca forcing holidaymakers to run for cover on Sunday
Katie Le Boutillier, who is in Alcudia with her mother Carmel (pictured), said that they arrived to a heatwave on Friday but ‘woke up today to black skies’
Severe warnings were issued across the holiday hotspots of Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera on Sunday as hotel resorts were left unrecognisable after being lashed by fierce winds, rain and hail.
Ms Gorman described how ‘gushes of water were coming out of nowhere’, adding that she had ‘never seen rain like it’ before. She continued: ‘People were losing shoes, we had the children screaming and crying thinking something bad was going to happen. They were panicking.’
The mother-of-three told of how her fiancé was standing outside for about an hour and half completely drenched as he tried to flag down cars because her milk supply for the baby had run out.
After racing through the streets with a pram, they finally got back to the hotel – only to find the ground floor had flooded.
She continued: ‘It was such a frightening experience. We thought we’d go out for a lovely little stroll to the market and it turned to mayhem. It was extremely extremely frightening.
Ms Gorman said that the only good news was that she got engaged the day before. ‘He was actually planning to do it today so its good that he done it yesterday in the sun,’ she quipped.
Local media reported that there were more than 80 flood-related incidents on the island within an hour on Sunday morning.
A ‘small number’ of people were also being treated for ‘minor injuries’ after a P&O cruise ship broke free from moorings and collided with a freight vessel during the storm.
Terrified Brits told MailOnline that they ‘don’t dare go out’ as savage winds pummeled the island and left hotel guests unable to go outside out of fear of being injured. Families also described their young children being ‘frightened’ of the lightning, while others said they had ‘never seen so much rain in one day’.
Palm trees have come crashing down and flying debris has been launched across resorts, while motorists were also struggling to navigate through flooded roads and poor visibility. Forecasters have warned that storms show no sign of stopping tonight.
More than 100 flights were cancelled or diverted at Palma, Ibiza and Menorca due to strong winds and rain. Several families told MailOnline they were left stranded in airports. Spanish forecasters said winds reached more than 75mph at the Capdepera lighthouse in Majorca.
Footage shared with MailOnline showed the how parts of the island were ripped apart by the winds
A woman sprints for cover as chairs behind her get picked up by the winds in Majorca on Sunday
Hotel resorts look unrecognisable after being lashed by the devastating storms in Majorca. Objects were seen flying through the air (right)
Torrential rain in Majorca has caused huge flooding on the streets as motorists attempt to navigate their cars through
It comes as severe warnings were issued across the holiday hotspots of Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera on Sunday
Stunned holidaymakers have shared footage of tourists fleeing for shelter as sun loungers were sent flying into swimming pools by the fierce winds
A ‘small number’ of people are also being treated for ‘minor injuries’ after a P&O cruise ship (pictured) broke free from moorings and collided with a freight vessel during the storm
Footage shows palm trees almost being pulled out as the island contends with hurricane force winds
Mark Williams, who is staying at a hotel with his daughter in Can Picafort on the island, told MailOnline he was concerned about getting home to Manchester tomorrow.
‘We’ve been here seven days and it’s been good weather but it hit this morning. It’s been constant storms. You don’t dare go out. We’re on a flight tomorrow and hoping it isn’t delayed to Manchester.’
He said that the hotel has become extremely busy as no one can get out but the pool has turned brown from the mud and been filled with debris.
Mr Williams continued: ‘We had a blue swimming pool yesterday and now it’s just mud. It’s full of needles from all the palm trees. Everything’s gone into the pool so I’m not sure how they going to deal with that. I just feel so sorry for the kids that can’t go in. They’re just going out to look at the pool and thinking ‘we can’t go in there’.’
Another woman told MailOnline how her daughter, who is a First Responder, had to assist a man who sustained a ‘nasty head injury that required stitches’. Janet, whose granddaughter is also on the holiday, added: ‘[I’m] very thankful my granddaughter has managed to get inside as she could have been very seriously injured by all the furniture being blown around.
‘They are all safe but pretty shocked by the whole episode.’
Cara Catlin, from Luton, described being trapped in a supermarket when the storms started and ‘no one would leave’. ‘When we got back to the beach you could see loungers had gone flying,’ she added.
Ms Catlin, who is on holiday with her husband, their six-month-old baby and seven-year-old girl, said she was expecting 40C heat but the holiday has been ‘overshadowed’ as they had to ‘wade through knee high water’.
She said her children are ‘just getting wet and upset that they can’t get in the pool’. She added: ‘I understand why it’s closed because they could be struck by lightning but the kids are frustrated at not being able to use it.’
Alex Bigham, who is staying in a villa outside Sa Pobla, Majorca, said the power kept cutting out and the thunder was so loud it was frightening his five-year-old daughter. He told MailOnline: ‘It was quite a dramatic day. We’re ok but we were about to go shopping in the local town Sa Pobla when the storm came in.
‘I’ve never seen such torrential rain to be honest since the storms in the UK back in 1987 when I was just five myself. We were in our car but the rain was so torrential you couldn’t see more than a few metres.
‘We had to take shelter in a local supermarket. Our daughter was pretty frightened by the thunder, it was very loud and seemed quite close to our villa.’
Katie and her mother got stranded as they tried to wade through puddles in Majorca today
Motorists were seen trying to navigate through the roads with very limited visibility
A tree is on the verge of being pulled on the ground as gale force winds grip the holiday island
A large cloud over the sea of the town of Andratx, in Majorca, Spain, 27 August 2023. Andratx is one of the localities of Majorca most affected by the storms registered in the last hours in the Balearic Islands
Holidaymakers were forced to sprint away from the beach as sun loungers and parasols got picked up in the winds
Katie Le Boutillier, who is in Alcudia with her mother Carmel, said that they arrived to a heatwave on Friday but ‘woke up today to black skies’. She told MailOnline: ‘We got stranded at the port, lost flip flops in the storm and had to walk back to our hotel barefoot as no taxies were running. The rain was extreme. Flooding everywhere, a motorcycle was floating away. A huge tree came down on the beach.’
Ms Le Boutillier, who is from Leeds, added: ‘The water was over a foot deep in some places. We’re now stuck in. It’s too windy with horizontal rain hammering at the patio doors. We’ve got towels stopping the water coming under the door.’
Evie, who is staying in Cala Bona with her family, said: ‘We went on a bike ride today and got caught in the storm. Inflatables were flying out of shops.
‘We had to run for cover. When we had to ride back to the hotel, most of the trees has been broken and one of the larger ones had completely split in half! This is such a shock after all the good whether the past two weeks.’
Large clouds and moody skies were seen looming over the island, especially in Andratx – one of the localities most affected by the storms.
Holidaymakers with young children shared extraordinary videos of them having to shelter behind cars from the terrifying storms, while other tourists had to flee a beach as parasols and deckchairs were picked up and thrown around by the strong winds.
Trees were toppled while basements have been flooded as officials try to contend with the strong gales.
The 112 emergency service in the Balearics reported 84 storm-related incidents within an hour on Sunday, Majorca Daily Bulletin reported.
The newspaper also reported that a pregnant woman in Calvia was taken to a health centre after being injured by a falling sign, while two children with a lilo in Illetes had to be rescued.
An amber alert was in place until midnight on Sunday across the whole of Majorca as heavy rain and hail were swept across the island by hurricane force winds.
Holidaymakers have shared footage of the storms as the island is lashed by torrential rain and winds
A mother protects her children from the storms as they take shelter behind a vehicle in Majorca
One woman opened up the door to her patio to gale force winds and rain battering her villa
Aemet issued warnings across the island and said that storms would continue into the evening
A rogue parasol floating in the pool as the storm lashes down on the popular Spanish resort island
The forceful storms hit the island at around 11am and within an hour, there were 84 incidents.
Of these, 49 were in the capital Palma and 24 were in the historic town of Calvia – in the southwest.
Passengers on the Britannia, a P&O cruise ship, shared footage of debris floating in the sea after the boat crashed.
A spokesman for P&O said: ‘On Sunday 27 August, P&O Cruises Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while alongside in Palma de Mallorca. A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre.
‘To allow our technical teams to make an assessment Britannia will remain alongside in Palma de Mallorca tonight with onboard entertainment and activities scheduled.’
The Met Office has warned Brits of the storms, sharing a video of the destruction on the island with the caption: ‘Severe thunderstorms are affecting the Balearic Islands, leading to heavy rain and strong gusty winds.’
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