A popular Spanish resort loved by Brits has been plunged into chaos as rats that are "like rabbits" roam the streets, terrorising locals. Majorca is currently undergoing water works in Palma's Santa Cataline neighbourhood, which attracts visitors to its trendy bars and restaurants.
The company carrying out the pipe renovation work, Emaya, have been at it for three weeks, creating open trenches in the road, Majorca Daily Bulletin reports. Eventually, the drinking water and sewage pipes will be revamped, but for now, the work is creating significant disruptions for residents. María Isabel Mulet said her bathroom has become infested with bugs due to the open sewer trenches.
She said: "You go to take a shower and you find cockroaches; it's disgusting." The frustrated resident added that nearby bars and restaurants "have already complained" of a rat infestation, saying the vermin "are like rabbits".
The issues also go beyond pests. María explained that the pipe renovations have also made driving unsafe and created dangerous environmental conditions, forcing them to keep their windows closed.
She said: "We haven't been able to open the windows for three weeks because of the dust and the planks.
"Today (Monday) they announced a water cut from 8am to 2pm, we prepared ourselves with buckets... and it's 6pm and we still don't have a drop."
María said the streets have become full of "huge holes" that make driving impossible, pushing both pedestrians and motorbike drivers to share the pavements. They "have been on the verge of causing more than one accident", she said.
Emaya said the water was restored at 4pm on Monday, but some locals said they still had no supply after this deadline.
María said it's referring people with complaints to Palma City Council, leaving them feeling "helpless" and "passed from one phone to another".
She called for an urgent street clean-up as Santa Cataline has "become a place where Majorcans can't live. "She added, "If they at least warned us in advance and covered the holes, we could organise ourselves.
"But right now we live with the daily uncertainty of not knowing if there will be water... and with the certainty that rats and cockroaches have already moved into the neighbourhood."
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