Omar Al-Razzini – Barcelona Office
The highways in the Spanish region of Catalonia and southern France witnessed serious traffic disruptions yesterday, following the overturning of several trucks due to strong winds that swept the region, causing various accidents and the closure of some vital axes.
Local sources reported that the strong winds, which reached high speeds, led to truck drivers losing control of their vehicles, especially in open areas and bridges, where trucks are more prone to swerving and overturning. Emergency and civil defense teams intervened urgently to secure the sites, remove the damaged trucks, and gradually restore traffic flow. The authorities also announced that varying material damage had been recorded, without any confirmed reports of serious human losses so far, while drivers were directed to exercise caution, especially for heavy transport vehicles, with a warning about the continuation of the winds in the coming hours. In a related context, the authorities warned against unnecessary travel in the affected areas, calling on citizens to stay in their homes except for extreme necessity, to avoid the risks of accidents resulting from the bad weather conditions. It was also decided to suspend studies for one day in the city of Barcelona and the surrounding areas, in response to warnings from the meteorological services, which alerted to the continuation of the harsh climatic conditions, in order to preserve the safety of students and educational staff. Meteorological bodies issued high-level alerts, calling for adherence to safety guidelines, in light of expectations of the continuation of the state of atmospheric instability during the next period.
