Storm Wreakes Havoc Across The Canary Islands
Yesterday’s bad weather wreaked havoc across the Canary Islands leaving ships unable to dock and people homeless because of flooding.
The regional government has declared a level II emergency and has ordered the closing of all schools for today.
Several houses in La Caleta, in the south of Tenerife, had to be evacuated by emergency services because of flooding and it appears it isn’t over yet as this satellite image, taken at around 9.30am this morning, shows.
Meanwhile, around 11,000 homes and businesses remain without power in parts of Tenerife, El Hierro and La Gomera.
Fire crews have worked tirelessly throughout the night, answering calls for help from people whose homes have been flooded following yesterday’s unrelenting rainfall, which slammed into the islands in wave after wave throughout the day.
The heavy sea swell, which accompanied the storm, meant that the harbour authority in Santa Cruz reported difficulty in getting shipping safely into harbour.
Weathermen say today should herald an easing of the severe weather, although some light, patchy rain will persist in places with a chance of some isolated heavy rain.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:30 am
Since the 2nd we have tried to follow the news of the storm, as we are due to travel to Tenerife on the 5th. As of 9.00am this morning Thomas Cook have no information on their web site. I would sooner cancel my holiday than fly into an emergancey Zone where we are suppose to be on holliday, and I feel sure the authoritys would not want us there.