Severe flood hits Malta during one of the country’s worst storms ever

A powerful storm hit Malta on November 25, 2021, dumping a month's worth of rain in just several hours and causing severe floods. The country's Civil Protection Department described it as 'one of the worst storms in a very long time.'

A severe thunderstorm struck Malta on the morning of November 25, sweeping away cars in many parts of the country and blocking roads by raging waters and stalled cars.

The worst affected were Msida, Gzira, Mosta, and Naxxar.¹

Teams from Malta’s civil protection, police, and military rescued several people trapped in floodwaters. Two civil protection officers got into difficulty while rescuing a man trapped in his car in Burmarrad and had to be airlifted to safety by an Armed Forces of Malta helicopter.²

Four people took refuge on the roof of vehicles trapped in floodwaters in Salina before they were eventually rescued.

According to data provided by the country's meteorological service, an average of 74.6 mm (2.93 inches) of rain was registered on November 25, with Selmun registering a total of 107.6 mm (4.2 inches) in 24 hours. Most of this rain fell within just several hours.

November is usually Malta's wettest month, with an average of 108.6 mm (4.27 inches).

References:

¹ Malta hit by ‘one of the worst storms ever’ – CPD – Newsbook

² Malta – Dramatic Flood Rescues After Month’s Worth of Rain in 24 Hours – FloodList

Featured image credit: Stephen Cachia