Photo efe.com
- Snow and unseasonably low temperatures have been blamed on the arrival of a mass of polar air lingering over the Iberian Peninsula.
- Venice flooding could reach the record levels of 1966.
- More than 38,000 homes were left without power for a whole day after the tornado ravaged the island of Menorca yesterday.
Southern Europe's freak weather has seen the Mediterranean nation of Spain battered by a tornado, just 48 hours after the country was blanketed by heavy snowstorms.
More than 38,000 homes were left without power for a whole day after the tornado ravaged the island of Menorca yesterday.
More than 50 trees and hundreds of power lines were pulled down by the powerful storm, leaving thousands of residents without electricity.
Neighbouring principality Asturias' 25,000 properties also had their power knocked out by the tornado. A week-long spell of rain, snow and unseasonably low temperatures has been blamed on the arrival of a mass of polar air lingering over the Iberian Peninsula.
At least one person remains missing in the town of Camarinas in Galicia, northwestern Spain, with reports the man may have fallen into the sea while fishing.
The bad weather has returned to the Balearics just weeks after the region was hit with flooding, in which 13 people were killed.
Meanwhile, around three-quarters of the Italian lagoon city of Venice has been flooded after strong winds raised the water level by 156 centimetres (nearly 61-1/2 inches) before receding, officials said Monday.
Venice frequently floods when high winds push in water from the lagoon, but Monday's levels were exceptional.
The peak level was the highest reached since December 2008, according to Venice statistics.
The last time levels topped 160 centimetres, which had been forecast, was in December 1979.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said a series of underwater barriers being erected in the lagoon, nicknamed Moses, would have prevented the inundation.
The project is long overdue, beset by cost overruns and corruption scandals. Brugnaro said he had requested to speak with Premier Giuseppe Conte to underline the urgency of the project, which would raise barriers when the tide reaches 43 inches.
The public transport company closed the water taxi service due to the emergency, with connections remaining active only to the outlying islands.
The city, built on a series of islands, deals with the high water by erecting a series of risers that permit people to circulate by foot.
Residents and businesses typically reinforce doors with metal or wooden panels to prevent water from entering bottom floors.
Veneto regional governor Luca Zaia says flooding could reach the levels of the 1966 flood that struck both Venice and Florence.
In a message on Instagram, he called off schools in the region for a second day on Tuesday.
Italy has declared the highest level of storm warning for the North of the country.
Heavy rains caused flooding, landslides, 70% of Venice was under water, flooding threatens the entire region.
According to DW, the most suffered from elements Liguria, Lombardy, Friuli, Veneto and Trento in the North and Abruzzo in the Central part, and also Sicily.
According to an RSOE EDIS user report, last night the coast of the Italian region Liguria has been struck by tidal waves so strong to cause extensive damage.
The village of Portofino is totally isolated as the only road was wiped away by the sea.
The marina of Sestri Levante was flooded and boats were dragged into the village.
The waves were so strong to destroy the walls of the marina of the town of Celle causing extensive damage.
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