Three people died in Spain and nearly 200,000 students were out of school due to the Gloria storm, which hits mainly the east of the country, local authorities said on Monday (January 20th).
Much of eastern Spain (Catalonia, Valencia region), as well as the Balearic archipelago, were placed on red or orange alert due to this storm, which caused strong gusts of cold wind and snowfall. According to the Spanish Meteorological Agency, this storm should last until Wednesday.
"A 54-year-old homeless woman of Romanian nationality was found dead, apparently of hypothermia, this morning in a park" in Gandia, south of Valencia, said a spokesman for the town hall. AFP.
A "63 year old Spaniard" was also found dead "Sunday afternoon" in the village of Pedro Bernardo, in the region of Castile and Leon (center). "He was lying on the ground on his property, hit in the head because of the falling tiles caused by the snow," his mayor David Segovia told AFP.
In the evening, the president of the Valencia region, Ximo Puig, offered his condolences to the family of a deceased victim in a village. According to local press, he is a 71-year-old man who died of hypothermia.
Vull transmit el meu condol to the families of the backs people that han lost the vida in Gandia i Moixent a causa del temporal. Demanem la màxima prudència has amb més risc areas. The Generalitat aprovarà el divend the premiums ajudes per als danys. #temporalhivernal pic.twitter.com/KJ3qVsSepJ
- Ximo Puig (@ximopuig) January 20, 2020In the Valencia region, 194 municipalities decided to close the schools on Monday, which affected more than 191,300 students, the regional government announced.
Several highways or railway lines were also disrupted by these bad weather.
The Pyrénées-Orientales department placed on orange alert
On the French side, it snowed from 200 meters above sea level in the department of Pyrénées-Orientales, unusual falls due to the storm Gloria, which disrupts transport in the plain and in the mountains, according to Météo-France.
"The snow will continue to fall in the mountains, and we expect more precipitation in the plain," AFP said the prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales, a department placed on orange alert since Monday at 4 p.m.
🌨️ Snow and heavy rain on Roussillon 🌧️
An episode of heavy precipitation is taking place in Roussillon and the eastern Pyrenees today. This active episode corresponds to overflows on our country from the storm #Gloria.
▶ ️ https://t.co/aVJkoXsNAL pic.twitter.com/p6qwawmSHE
Tuesday, warns Météo-France, "the milder air is spreading throughout the department, the rain-snow limit will rise above 1,000 m, to be around 1,300 to 1,500 m at midday. The episode snow will be replaced by a notable rainy episode in this department. "
In the Roussillon plain, the rain will fall for several days, according to forecasts.
On the Pyrenees-Orientales coast, on Tuesday, the swell and strong waves from East to North-East will impede the flow of rivers, which risks causing floods.
As there are many fords in the department, the prefecture advises pedestrians and motorists to "never enter a submerged lane".
With AFP
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