ARCHIVED - 90km/h winds damage Cartagena school

The roof was ripped off during the gales on Sunday evening

Winds of up to 90km/h caused havoc across Cartagena on Monday, leaving a trail of fallen trees, billboards and bins in their wake, which firecrews and municipal services have been busy clearing up since the strong winds first struck on Sunday evening.

The most noticeable damage took place in the colegio San Francisco Javier de Los Barreros where a metal roof was ripped off, causing substantial damage.

Fortunately nobody was inside at the time and there were no injuries, although classes were suspended while the rubble was cleared, urgent repairs undertaken and the area inspected to ensure it was safe for the children to return on Tuesday.

Firemen were involved in 42 separate incidents: among them the stabilisation of a 200 kilo piece of glass in the centre of the Espacio Mediterráneo shopping centre in Cartagena which threatened to fall, a 10 square metre metal roof in the Colegio Miralmonte of the industrial area, the Polígono de Santa Ana which was dangerously loose, the same situation facing a piece of panelling in the Pabellón Polideportivo in El Algar which was threatening to take flight, loose panels in the football stadium, el Estadio Cartagonova, 2 small fires caused by broken electric cables and 25 fallen trees.

 The port was also affected by the strong winds, with boats unable to unload until the seas calmed.