A man was killed and a woman was left seriously injured after a 20-tonne boulder fell through their house in Menorca and crushed them during a landslide.
The huge rock crashed through the terrace of the building in Cala Sant Esteve, tearing through two floors and into the couple’s bedroom in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The man, 66, was found dead under the rubble, while his partner, 62, was taken to hospital with injuries, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
The woman, who was identified locally as an employee of the Es Castell Town Council, was still conscious when she was rescued more than three hours after the accident, with rescue efforts hampered by the landslide.
Initial tests uncovered multiple injuries, including crushing to her lower limbs.
A dozen homes in the Fort Marlborough area were evacuated because of the landslide, while a crane was brought in to move the rock.
All seven people who lived in the house were at home at the time of the accident, according to 20minutos.
Mayor of Es Castell, Lluís Camps, said: “The aim is to rescue the victim as soon as possible because the weather conditions are not very favourable.”
The town council said in a statement: “From the Es Castell Town Council we express our deepest condolences for the tragedy that today has cost the life of one of our neighbours, in Cala Sant Esteve.
“We want to convey all our support, affection and respect to the family, friends and close people, in these difficult times.
“We also send all our support to the person who has been injured, our neighbour and companion, and we remain at the disposal of the families and all the affected people to offer any help that is necessary.”
A team from the University of the Balearic Islands will head out on Wednesday to assess parts of the cliff that could be compromised.
Heavy rains caused flooding across the islands as Storm Ingrid brought chaos to mainland Spain. Ibiza, south of Mallorca, saw rain, strong winds and lightning, felling trees and bringing travel disruption to the island.
State meteorological agency AEMET issued rare red warnings in the northwest last week as the storm brought heavy snow, strong winds and dangerous sea conditions.