Heavy rains and hail struck the south-eastern Spanish area of Alicante on Sunday, damaging citrus and pomegranates.

The main districts affected were L’Alacantí and Vega Baja, where hail fell so densely in two 10-minute intervals that the ground was covered in a blanket of ice.

According to early estimates by growers’ association Asaja-Alicante, about 50 per cent of citrus crops in the affected areas have been damaged. The lines hardest hit are lemons, oranges and easy peelers. Some growers have seen 80 per cent of their crops struck and leaves and fruit were knocked to the ground in many plantations.

The Campo de Elche area also suffered heavy damage, mainly to the pomegranate crop, which is at peak harvest.

A spokeswoman for Asaja-Alicante said: “Our technical services are still working to assess damage, which could worsen with time, especially if it continues to rain, when already damaged fruit could fall victim to fungal infection due to high rates of humidity.”

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