A storm lasting barely ten minutes caused the fall of around twenty trees on Carrilet Avenue in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. Mayor David Quirós stated that there was no prior weather alert.
A strong short-lived storm, a phenomenon known as a squall, surprised residents of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat late Tuesday afternoon. In just ten minutes, and without any weather alert, the wind knocked down around twenty trees, mainly on Carrilet Avenue, in front of the Gasòmetre track. The material damage was significant, but, as confirmed by the Guàrdia Urbana, no injuries were reported.
The mayor of L'Hospitalet, David Quirós, arrived at the affected area to supervise emergency operations. Quirós explained that the episode was as sudden as it was intense: “It was not expected, and there was no alarm or alert. It happened in two or three minutes.” The councillor highlighted that, despite the violence of the phenomenon, the most important fact is that no one was injured.
Emergency services acted quickly. Bombers de la Generalitat received around twenty calls starting at 6:30 PM, all from L'Hospitalet. Teams from Bombers, Guàrdia Urbana, Mossos d'Esquadra, Civil Protection, and Parks and Gardens personnel were dispatched to the site. The Guàrdia Urbana closed traffic and pedestrian access on several surrounding roads to facilitate the removal of trees and branches.
The most affected area was concentrated between Amadeu Torner and Castelao streets, with the most impacted stretch on Carrilet Avenue. There, around twenty trees fell, some large, obstructing the road and damaging urban furniture. Incidents were also reported in the Santa Eulàlia neighbourhood, on streets such as Uva, Clotet, Salvador, General Prim, Rosell, Jacint Verdaguer, and Badalona, as well as in the Unicef square.
The wind also affected the Escola Bernat Desclot, located on Aprestadora Street, where the patio awning was blown away. The centre, which currently hosts a summer camp, set up an alternative space to maintain planned activities without interruption. In the Centre-Sant Josep neighbourhood, at the intersection of Enric Prat de la Riba Street and Fabregada Avenue, branches and another awning fell, but without major consequences.
Mayor Quirós emphasized that, apart from the mentioned areas, the rest of the city did not suffer significant incidents. However, emergency teams worked for hours to remove fallen trees and restore normalcy on the affected roads. The swift intervention prevented further damage.
The meteorological phenomenon, known as a squall, is characterized by being a violent but very localized storm, with very intense gusts of wind that can topple trees and structures. In this case, the lack of foresight heightened the surprise among residents, who saw how the urban landscape changed completely in a matter of minutes. Local authorities have reminded the importance of exercising caution in the face of such phenomena, even when there are no active alerts.
Cleanup and restoration work will continue over the coming days, according to municipal sources. The L'Hospitalet City Council has announced that it will assess the damage to trees and urban furniture for repair. So far, no incidents have been reported regarding electricity supply or other essential services.
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