Posted on Friday, 12 October 2018

Flash floods impacted parts of Majorca earlier this week, causing the deaths of at least 10 people - including a British couple who were swept away in a taxi.

Since Majorca is very popular with UK tourists, many holidaymakers are wondering if it is safe to visit the island.

However, while the floods took lives and caused chaos on parts of the island's road network, the director of the Balearic Islands Tourism Board called it an "isolated incident".

The flooding was centred on the Sant Llorenc des Cardassar, about 40 miles east of the island's capital, Palma. Most hotels and tourist hot spots are located on the west, some distance from the flooded areas.

The clean-up effort is being undertaken by emergency services and locals.

The island has not seen such floods "in 80 years", according to Jaume Alzamora, director of the Balearic Islands Tourism Board, who added: “The floods were contained to the small area of Sant Llorenc in the north east of the island and have not affected Majorca's main tourist destinations with hotels, restaurants, as well as other tourist infrastructure remaining open and fully functional.

“The tourist board is working in solidarity with the local Mallorcan community to rapidly clean up and repair the affected area. We would like to reassure visitors that the rest of the island is unaffected and we ask that British holidaymakers and the travel industry support us with continuing their holidays as planned.”

Holiday firms have been quick to reassure their customers. A TUI spokesman told The Mirror: “We are aware of the heavy rainfall and localised flooding that occurred overnight in Palma, Majorca.

“Flights and hotels are operating as normal and all customers that were unable to get their hotels last night have now been transferred.

“Our resort teams are supporting any customers that have been affected. We will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with local authorities.”

Holiday firm Thomas Cook said in a statement to The Independent: “All of our hotels are operating as normal. There were some small temporary power cuts and an impact on bus transfers on Tuesday night, but everything is back to normal. Customers are advised to get in touch if they have any concerns.”

Can I get a refund from my holiday company?

A refund may only be possible if your operator makes significant changes to your trip, such as dates and accommodation.

What does the FCO say about the floods?

The FCO website states: "There have been flash floods in the island of Mallorca overnight on 9 to 10 October causing significant disruption and some road closures; please follow the advice of local authorities; the emergency services number is 112; if you're in Mallorca and need urgent help you can get in touch with the consulate by calling +34 933 666 200; if you're in the UK and worried about a British national in Spain, call 020 7008 1500."

Britain's love affair with Majorca

Majorca (or Mallorca) has been popular with British tourists since the 1950s, who are only outnumbered by German visitors. In 2015, nearly 2 million Britons visited the island, compared to 3.2m Germans. Attractive beaches, warm weather, numerous hotels and many tourist amenities have seen visitor numbers increase steadily in recent decades.

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