Blanes, Costa Brava sees worst storm since the 1950s

Visit Blanes, Dec. 28, 2008 — The mayor of Blanes, Josep Trias, yesterday morning visited the port of beaches of his town with a grim look on his face. According to El Periodicó he looked like a general who toured the battlefield after a cruel defeat.

In what the mayor referred to as the worst storm Blanes has seen since the 1950s, the December 26 storm caused much damage to pleasure boats, fishing vessels and tourist ferries:

The mayor was as yet unable to provide an estimate of the damage.

Other towns along the Costa Brava — including Portbou, Llançà, L’Escala, L’Estartit, Platja d’Aro, Tossa de Mar and Lloret de Mar — also suffered much damage from the storm.

Blanes Port Expansion Project

According to Trias, the damage caused by this latest storm proves the importance of the planned expansion of the port.

The project, with a budget of €22 million, is currently stranded in the offices of the Ministry of the Environment.

Joaquim Nadal, Minister of Town and Country Town and Public Works of the ‘Generalitat de Catalunya’, visited the port of Blanes the day after the storm. He said that the significant damage here was caused by strong waves of between four and six meters high. Nadal has vowed to do everything possible to boost the planned construction of the new breakwater.

Other Damage

The beaches of Barcelona were temporarily closed during the storm. Further up the coast, the waves damaged many beaches, flooded some roads — as well as the underground parking garage at Blanes — and halted train services.

In the town of Girona-Castell Platja d’Aro 30 people had to be evicted from their waterfront homes.

In the same city, four people were treated for injuries after a powerful wave crashed into the restaurant where they were dining.

The Aftermath