Malta

International

Malta
Sicily and southern Italy
northern Africa

140.40 mm

Cyclone Helios brought severe weather to Malta and southern Italy from 09 to 11 February 2023, including strong winds, snowfall, low temperatures, and heavy rain.
In Malta, 140.40 mm of rain was recorded at Luqa on 10 February 2023 (the wettest February day on record).

< 10

- Extensive damage was caused at the port of Marsaxlokk due to the severe storm, badly damaging most pipelines on the jetties, metal structures, lighting poles and loading arms, and adversely affecting their operations.
- Oil and gas bunkering operation were temporarily suspended at the Marsaxlokk terminal.
- A building at the Malta International Airport was damaged due to heavy rains, injuring one person.
- Older building were damaged and balconies in Gharb collapsed due to strong winds, damaging several cars.
- Historic walls were severely damaged/collapsed (e.g., a section of a historic boundary wall along the coast in Kalkara beneath Heritage Malta's headquarters, a wall near a historic building in Gozo, part of the wall surrounding the historic Villa Portelli, a wall close to the entrance to the Cittadella ditch in Victoria as well as some masonry walls at the perimeter of the ruins).
- Part of the tip of the 17th century tower watchtower at Għajn Tuffieħa collapsed.
- A boat was shipwrecked, while a boulder fell onto structures at Popeye Village, in Mistra Bay.