HURRICANE-force winds have flipped trucks on motorways and ripped roofs off buildings as Storm Kristin unleashes a ‘red alert’ battering across the country.
Terrifying footage from the A-66 motorway near Caceres shows the moment two large trucks were blown onto their sides by the sheer force of the gale.
One driver survived a ‘miracle’ escape after his vehicle overturned on a bridge, coming to a halt just inches from falling over the edge.
The ‘sail effect’ of the wind against the heavy goods vehicles caused the chaos, prompting warnings for high-sided vehicles across the peninsula.
Aemet has issued a ‘Red Alert’ for parts of the country, warning of ‘extraordinary danger’ and gusts exceeding 130km/h as the storm moves east towards Murcia and Valencia.
In Andalucia, parents have been left furious after near-miss tragedies at schools that remained open despite the extreme weather.
In Cordoba, a roof was ripped off a building just 20 metres from a school entrance at 9am, exactly as children were arriving for class.
One witness blasted authorities for failing to close schools despite the predicted 95km/h gusts, saying: “Neither the Junta nor the City Council closed schools”.
Similarly, in Zahara de los Atunes (Cadiz), a tree crashed down inside the playground of the Miguel de Cervantes school while students were in attendance.
The Junta has suspended classes in 15 towns in the Sierra de Cadiz but kept them open in 30 others, leading to confusion and anger among parents.
The situation is equally critical in the Campo de Gibraltar, where emergency services are currently evacuating residents in the Station of San Roque.
Guardia Civil officers are moving families from their homes as heavy rains cause floodwaters to rise dangerously close to residential properties.
Flooding has also been reported in Palmones, Los Barrios, as the storm dumps heavy rain on the already saturated ground.
The trail of destruction has spread across the region throughout Wednesday morning.
In Jaen, shoppers got a huge scare when strong winds shattered the shop window of a Primark store in the Jaen Plaza commercial centre.
Security guards were forced to cordon off the area after glass fragments were blasted into the store.
Nearby in Guarroman, the A-4 motorway has been flagged as dangerous due to water accumulation, while falling trees have smashed into vans on the road to Cordoba.
Sevilla has also faced significant disruption, with the Avenida Marques de Pickman cut in both directions after a large tree blocked the road, forcing bus diversions.
In Gibraltar, gusts of 105km/h were recorded at the airport, where the runway is being battered by “roaring” winds.
Meanwhile, in Campamento, two trees collapsed, smashing a wall and leaving power lines dangling dangerously over the road.
Even Madrid has been affected, with operations at Barajas airport slowed down due to snow on the runways.
Click here to read more Weather News from The Olive Press.
