The Civil Protection Department said in a statement that it had responded to a total of 463 incidents as a direct result of Storm Harry as at 6am on Wednesday morning.

Malta was battered by the Storm for over 24 hours between Monday late afternoon and Tuesday night as gale force winds which peaked at over 100 kilometres per hour and then heavy rains hit the country.

The CPD and other disciplined forces were on full alert to deal with the effects of the storm, which caused significant damage particularly in low-lying areas such as Marsascala and Ghar Lapsi.

In an official situation update, the CPD said that as of 6am on Wednesday it had dealt with 463 incidents in total.

228 of these were tree obstructions while another 119 were debris clearance operations, the CPD said.

There were then 45 electrical hazards and the CPD also rescued 27 people trapped in vehicles as a result of the storm. 

There were 14 billboard/sign incidents, six flooding incidents, six rubbish fires, six HAZMAT spillages, five police assistance requests, three vehicle fires, three medical extrications, and one person who got locked in a lift.

“CPD crews remain fully deployed and continue to work in coordination with other emergency services to ensure public safety and restore normality where possible,” the department said.

“The general public is strongly advised to avoid coastal areas, exercise extreme caution when travelling, and strictly adhere to instructions issued by the authorities,” it added.