Majorca has been hit by a freak storm, bringing gale-force winds, torrential rain and huge waves to its holiday hotspots.

The emergency services are receiving dozens of calls about damage, with restaurant and beach bar terraces devastated and boats over-turned.

Palma airport is also suffering substantial delays. More than 22 litres of water per square metre fell in just 10 minutes and 34 litres in an hour, according to the delegate and spokesperson for the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) in the Balearic Islands, María José Guerrero. The south of Majorca has been, so far, the area most affected by the intense rainfall.

There are widespread delays as a result of the bad weather at the airport. Aena sources have indicated that the average delay is one hour.

Guests of more than 90km an hour were recorded. Majorca remains on orange alert, as more than 140 litres of water per square metre may fall in three or four hours.

The capital of Palma has activated its emergency plan and has closed parks and gardens.

The storm in the early hours of this morning hit the Andratx area, where some trees have fallen, damage to the terraces of some establishments and some damaged boats. The emergency service had a total of 50 incidents throughout Mallorca even before 10am.

In the Camp de Mar area, five boats that were in the sailing club have been hit and the area has been sealed. Some damage has also been done in the area of the port of Andratx, where the furniture of some terraces has broken or has been displaced by the strong gusts.

The torrent that flows into the beach of Camp de Mar woke up with a large amount of dirt and debris dragged by the water, just after municipal workers had carried out cleaning tasks to leave the area in good condition for visitors.

Andratx council expressed its gratitude for the swift response of the cleaning and security teams, who have been working since early morning to minimize the impact of this weather event on the municipality.

The passage of the storm, which has been accompanied by strong wind, has also resulted in the fall of trees. The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) predicts that instability will continue in the archipelago throughout the day after the storms recorded during the early morning.

Aemet and the government are advising people to take extreme precautions. Among the recommendations of the General Directorate of Emergencies is that of "avoiding trips by car if it is not absolutely necessary". However, it sends a message of reassurance, since "the situation is being monitored continuously and all the necessary preventive measures are being coordinated".