Prime Minister's plane struggles to land amid strong winds
Met Office issues orange weather warning for Friday
A flight from Brussels with prime minister Robert Abela aboard struggled to land at the Luqa airport on Thursday night, as strong winds swept the island overnight.
Times of Malta is informed that the plane landed in Malta on the third attempt after 45 minutes circling in the air.
The winds reached gale force on Thursday, with the Met Office and the Civil Protection Department issuing a red weather warning as gusts went up to 96km/h throughout the night.
Spokespeople for the police and CPD told Times of Malta on Friday morning that no injuries had been reported overnight.
CPD officials had a very busy night though, removing fallen trees and dangerous billboards from the streets.
On Friday morning, the Met Office changed its red warning to an orange one, noting that, up until 1pm, the west northwest wind will be very strong, sometimes reaching gale force especially over the exposed areas.
The wind force is expected to drop to force four to five and blow from south southeast, or west northwest, on Saturday.
But by Sunday, it is being forecast to pick up again, reaching force seven and blowing from a west-northwest direction. The temperature will also drop to 16°C at its highest and 11°C at its lowest on the day.
Monday and Tuesday should remain windy and partly cloudy, with strong winds ranging from force 5 to 7.
The CPD is urging people to avoid working at heights, including rooftops, balconies, scaffolding, and exposed structures, and to stay away from the shoreline, breakwaters, and coastal areas due to dangerous sea conditions and strong waves.
It is also urging people to secure loose outdoor objects that may be blown away by strong gusts, and to drive carefully, particularly in open and exposed areas where sudden crosswinds may occur.