A long-lived thunderstorm called a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) formed to the southwest of Malta late on Sunday and passed over the Maltese Islands overnight producing torrential thundery rain showers at times that carried cars away in the floodwaters that formed particularly at Balzan and Qormi. Various houses and warehouses were also flooded. No one was injured.
Some empty coffins were also carried away by the flood waters in Qormi. An undertaker lost 800 coffins to the water that burst through his Qormi warehouse and scattered the wooden caskets along the village’s waterway. He is claiming €350,000 in damages. Some flights were delayed by an average of one hour as aircrew and passengers could not make it to the airport on time.
The highest rainfall totals during this storm were at Qormi 119.6mm, Birkirkara 119.6mm, Balzan 112.1mm, Zabbar 112.0mm, Gudja 111.2mm, Tarxien 111.2mm, Iklin 108.3mm, Rabat 106.2mm, Luqa 104.6mm, Valletta 104.6mm, Attard 102.4mm, Kalkara 102.0mm and Bahrija 101.4mmm. This was the highest 24-hour rainfall total for October since rainfall records began in 1985. Flood warning was issued.
PHOTOS TAKEN BY ROBERT MIFSUD, IVAN BARTOLO, MICHAEL DELMAR & METEO MALTA