Baby girl dies after being hit by giant hailstone during freak storm in Catalonia, Spain

A 20-month-old girl has been killed by a giant hailstone after a freak storm battered a region of Catalonia.

Dozens of people have reportedly been taken to hospital after balls of ice as large as 10cm in diameter fell from the sky over the Girona region, according to the Catalonian meteorological service.

The storm caused massive damage to buildings, shattering windows and damaging power lines.

QUINA BARBARITAT… Un altre vídeo d'aquest vespre a casa un amic, a la Bisbal d'Empordà. Sembla Oklahoma. Descomunal 😱😱😱💥💥💥 @eltempsTV3 @enricagud @Oriol_RB @Jordisolerramio @meteofarnell @meteocat @TomeuRigoR pic.twitter.com/ONrWbCsePr
— Marc Gassó Torrents (@MeteoGasso) August 30, 2022

One of the stones hit a baby who was taken to hospital but later died from her injuries, local news outlets reported.

Catalonia’s president Pere Aragones said called the incident a “tragedy” and sent his condolences to the child’s family.

Dolorosament colpit per aquesta tragèdia, vull fer arribar el meu sentit condol a la família. Una abraçada ben forta. https://t.co/V91vFXxYsF
— Pere Aragonès i Garcia 🎗 (@perearagones) August 31, 2022

Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya issued warnings of further storms expected to hit the area which could bring more heavy hail.

En concret, el nostre observador de la XOM a la Bisbal d'Empordà (el Baix Empordà) ha registrat un diàmetre màxim de pedra de fins a uns 10 cm. pic.twitter.com/oCpUQlRKfL
— Meteocat (@meteocat) August 30, 2022