Month's rain in a day diverts flight, cancels events and causes traffic chaos

Updated 4.45pm 

A flight was diverted, events have been cancelled and there is traffic chaos on the roads after a thunderstom hit Malta on Thursday. 

The Meteorological Office told Times of Malta that by 3.40 pm a total of 17.6mm of rain had been recorded at Luqa, substantially higher than the monthly norm for May, which is 10.3mm. The wind reached maximum gusts of 33 knots. 

Although the storm had been forecast, few anticipated the extent of the disruption it would bring during one of the year's typically calmest months.

Flight TOM4482  from London Gatwick to Malta was diverted to Catania on Thursday due to the thunderstorm that hit the country in the morning. 

It was due to arrive at 11.30am but the adverse weather conditions forced the diversion of TUI Airways plane to Catania–Fontanarossa Airport. After refuelling, the flight arrived in Malta at 3.10pm

As a result of the diversion, return flight TOM4483 from Malta back to London, which was meant to depart at 12.30pm, was delayed, and was scheduled to depart at 4.10pm instead.  

A spokesperson for Malta International Airport said the flight was the only one that had to be diverted due to the weather.  

Traffic was at a standstill in some areas of Malta, particularly the Marsa Junction  and Pembroke, where road works have already caused headache for motorists this week.  

"It's chaos out there. All the buses are packed because presumably nobody wants to be walking. The roads are like rivers and it's difficult to find a free cab," said one woman travelling from Msida to Sliema.

Msida local council has issued a warning to drivers to avoid driving through the area due to floods.

Meanwhile, Moviment Graffitti announced that a planned march to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, which refers to the mass expulsion of Palestinians from their homes in 1948 following the creation of the state of Israel, has been postponed.

The march will now take place on Saturday, May 17 at 3pm, starting at the Council of Europe Garden in Gżira.

At the Valletta law courts, rain water seeped into courtroom 22 during the ongoing trial by jury of Robert and Adrian Agius, Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio. 

The security warned journalists covering the trial to "be careful if you walk through the aisle in the balcony because it is wet." 

The Malta Meteorological Office issued a yellow weather warning on Thursday as an area of low pressure over Tunisia and Libya resulted in strong south-south east winds up to force 6, which it said would last till 3pm, before gradually decreasing to light to moderate east northeast winds.