A 20-month-old baby has died after being hit by a four-inch hailstone during a fierce storm in northeastern Spain.

The girl was with her parents in the town of La Bisbal d’Emporda in the Catalonia region when she was struck by the hailstone on Tuesday, mayor Carme Vall told Spanish Television, the national broadcaster.

The girl died of severe head trauma in hospital on Wednesday morning, Murcia Today reported.


Advertisement


The hailstone that struck her was four inches (10cm) in diameter, the news website added.
The name and nationality of the girl have not yet been reported.

At least 50 people were treated for injuries after the storm, according to local media.

Ms Vall, the mayor, said many buildings and cars were damaged.

The storm was the strongest of its kind in Catalonia for 20 years, according to the region’s government.

Heavy flash storms have been forecast for eastern Spain after severe heatwaves during the summer, both on land and in the Mediterranean Sea. (Sky News)