The rains forecast for yesterday left incidents in different parts of Tenerife and, in a special way, in the Metropolitan Area. A downpour led to the collapse of the Northern Highway (TF-5) starting at 2:30 p.m. and to produce complications in various neighborhoods due to the accumulation of water and raised sewers. Guajara, Finca España or La Cuesta were some of the places that were most affected. Not in vain, the photo of the day was in that last area, at the confluence of Santa Gema Galgani and Santa Eulalia streets, where the pavement sank and a car was swallowed up.
The situation lasted until approximately 4:30 p.m. In the meantime, the traffic jam of the TF-5 moved to its accesses and the persistent rain generated large puddles and the water ran strongly on roads such as Los Menceyes avenue. Proof of the incidents recorded during the afternoon were the 60 calls that 112 Canarias had answered until shortly before 6:00 p.m., as reported through Twitter. “Most of them due to overflow of sewers and to a lesser extent due to displacement of containers and obstacles on the road,” he specified.
Road traffic jams.
The Northern Highway, still without the rain getting worse, began to collapse. The traffic jam exceeded the Tenerife North Airport-Ciudad de La Laguna. It was not yet 3:00 p.m. and the traffic was slowing down. Rainfall was also increasing. Shortly after, videos and images of running ravines or significant accumulations of water began to circulate through WhatsApp and social networks. Different exits and entrances of the TF-5, such as those of Padre Anchieta or Alcampo, had turned into chaos after three in the afternoon.
Spain farm.
The border area between La Laguna and Santa Cruz was the epicenter of the downpour. Several radio patrols of the Lagunera Police traveled to that area due to the incidents and dangerous situations that were beginning to occur. One of those vehicles stopped at the intersection of Córdoba and Aries streets, next to Pueblo Hinojosa. The flow of the ravine was becoming more significant and a man seemed at risk due to his proximity to the bridge. Through movements with his arms, an agent urged him to leave the place. The queues around the Finca España church were significant. Further down, on the La Piterita road, another car from the La Laguna Local Police was blocking the way.
Flooded garage.
The force of the water had caused a garage to be flooded in La Piterita and “material damage” was caused, according to the police force through its Twitter account. Faced with the impossibility of continuing to advance along the La Piterita road, the vehicles turned onto one of the streets in the area – Granadilla – and got stuck on another of the nearby roads in their attempt to reach Las Palmeras avenue, the most central of Spain farm. There the pedestrians took refuge in the shops as best they could. A man ended up soaked in his attempt to photograph the ravine running.
Manhole covers.
Next to the roundabout at the entrance and exit of Finca España, drivers avoided a raised manhole cover. Further down, along Los Menceyes Avenue, several centimeters of water ran. Nearby, other manhole covers could be seen overflowing with water around the edges and also about to rise. In a balance at 6:00 p.m., the Local Police estimated between 30 and 40 elements of this type that had jumped, “with slight damage to vehicles in La Cuesta, Los Majuelos, San Miguel de Chimisay, Finca España, Valle Jimenez and El Cardonal.
sunken car
The main scene of the day was in a sinking. In the neighborhood of La Candelaria the pavement gave way and practically engulfed a car, a Seat León. From the Local Police they reported that other vehicles were removed and the area was cordoned off, while technicians from Roads and Works went to the scene to analyze the state of the road. Professionals from the La Laguna Town Planning Department and the Teidagua company also joined.
“In addition, members of the Tenerife Firefighters Consortium are also in the area,” the Local Police detailed in a tweet. For its part, Urbanism indicated in the same way that it was proceeding “to check the condition of the adjacent building”, and then added: “In a first inspection, no structural damage to the building was observed that would recommend its eviction” . “Visits will continue to be made in the coming days to continue studying the causes of the flooding of the second floor of the building.”
More problems.
The incidents also reached more towns in La Laguna, the Metropolitan Area and the Island. Another of the cases reported by the Local Police of La Laguna occurred in El Gramal. «The area is already being cleaned after the dragging effects of the water. Please avoid driving on the affected road to facilitate cleaning work,” the police force posted on Twitter at 6:00 p.m. The area of Los Majuelos flooded, a waterfall in La Higuerita… joined other problems outside the municipality. Late in the afternoon, the Cecopal de Santa Cruz recorded 25 incidents due to sewer breaks, puddles that required bilge, two traffic lights without power, loose cables and some traffic problems.
The Metropolitan Area experienced a rainy afternoon yesterday. On the left, image of the Serrador de Santa Cruz bridge after one of the downpours. On the right, a young man in a flooded area of Guajara, in La Laguna.
Today, light and moderate rains
After the rainfall and the incidents that occurred yesterday, the weather forecast for this Tuesday in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife indicates that there will be a predominance of cloudy skies, with occasional weak to moderate rains, mainly in inland areas. It is not ruled out that locally they may be somewhat more intense and in the form of showers, according to the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet). Specifically, the temperatures will undergo few changes and the thermometers will oscillate between a maximum of 27 degrees in Tenerife and a minimum of 16 degrees on the island of El Hierro. Regarding the wind, the forecast is that it will blow lightly from the northeast, increasing slightly in the last few hours. In summits, light wind of variable direction, with breezes in coasts. | EP
