Three thousand families and companies suffer power outages in Tenerife and Gran Canaria

power outages

More than 3,000 Endesa subscribers remained without electricity at noon yesterday due to breakdowns and the company had 308 open incidents, after some rains that, according to the firm, left 400 millimeters per square meter in two days in some places. To fix them, the company assigned 200 professionals, both in offices and on the street. The most affected islands were Gran Canaria, with 230 cases, and Tenerife, with 78. In Gran Canaria, the most affected areas were Las Palmas, Telde, Gáldar, Ingenio, Santa Lucía and San Bartolomé de Tirajana. There were many floods in transformation centers and substations due to the blockage of sewers or wet medium voltage cables. In Tenerifecustomers with cuts reside in Fasnia, Arico, Santa Cruz and La Laguna. On this island, the Manuel Cruz substation was flooded. From the company they explained that an obstacle to face the problems was the dispersion of the enclaves in which there were cuts. On Sunday, given the accumulation of water in certain facilities, it was decided to “choose very well” to which places the workers were sent, since the priority was to guarantee their safety. In addition, especially in Gran Canaria, there were accessibility problems in several areas, due to road closures. Endesa had planned that yesterday all the breakdowns would be resolved or, at least, the majority, although in Gran Canaria the recovery of normality may be delayed a little more, as a result of the significant damage caused by the water.

Back to Alicante

Some affected by the cancellation of flights were the 19 members of the choral group Camerata Lacunensis, from the University of La Laguna (ULL). When they were about to reach Tenerife North, they had to return to Alicante, after making a stopover in Agadir. At noon yesterday, according to its president, José Jaime Martín, they were still not sure when they would return to the island. The formation participated in the Choral Encounter of the City of Torrevieja. From Alicante they left almost three hours late on Sunday, at three in the afternoon, on a Vueling flight. After 5:00 p.m., the commander told them “the bad news” and that they had to land in Agadir, since it was impossible to land in Tenerife North. They spent almost two hours at said Moroccan airfield. It was there that they were informed that the company’s decision was to return to Alicante. That second notice generated great sorrow and anger among many passengers. And some of the people had a crisis. And the Camerata Lacunensis did what it does best: sing. Its members performed the Cuban song El cuarto de Tula inside the plane, with arrangements by its director, José Herrero. That was the way they had to reassure their fellow travelers and themselves. In any case, they point out that the treatment of the crew was very correct. Martín recalled that Vueling does not have offices in Alicante. The members of the group had to find accommodation and food. And those expenses will be covered with the collective funds. In the end they stayed in a hotel in Santa Pola.

Until Friday

From Vueling they were told that until Friday they cannot be placed on another flight. And a travel agency asked them to find places on a plane that leaves Murcia today and arrives in Gran Canaria, to later finish the journey in Tenerife. Their idea is to request an invoice for all the expenses they have and then request compensation from the airline.

AENA data

Spanish Airports and Air Navigation (AENA) reports that yesterday, until 7:10 p.m., there were 142 canceled flights to or from the Canary Islands, as well as 16 diversions. These data are added to the 619 cancellations and 82 diversions recorded on Saturday and Sunday due to adverse weather conditions. Thousands of people have been affected to start their vacations, return to their homes or join their jobs. Many had the Tenerife North airport as their place of departure, destination or layover, where 61 operations were canceled yesterday and 10 flights were diverted. In Gran Canaria there were 20 cancellations and one diversion. The second most injured aerodrome was La Palma, with 36 cancellations and four diversions. In La Gomera eight were counted; seven in Lanzarote; six in El Hierro, with a detour, as well as 4 in Fuerteventura. AENA sources clarify that the Canarian airports were never closed and that the cancellations and diversions were due, above all, to the lack of visibility.

Waiting lists

One affected yesterday was Juana María. Her flight had to depart from Tenerife North to El Hierro at 8:00. Later she was told that she was on a waiting list for 2pm. Another option she had was to take several buses to Los Cristianos, from where she had to get on a boat to get to Valverde around 8:00 p.m. And then she had a taxi left for Tamaduste. All this for a route that, under normal conditions, takes 45 minutes in total. Two young people, Marcos Navarro and José Pérez, came to Tenerife on vacation to see a friend. On Sunday night, at 11:50 p.m. they canceled the flight they had to take to Madrid, which was scheduled for 9:55 yesterday. They maintained uncertainty at the expense of what Air Europa told them. «We are very relaxed, nothing can be done; you have to take it easy,” says one of them.

Honeymoon

Worse is the case of Karolina and Marius, who are on their honeymoon after getting married. This young Bulgarian and her Romanian husband wanted to enjoy a week in Fuerteventura. They were to leave Zaragoza at 12:55 p.m. on Sunday. But they left at 8:00 p.m. and arrived in Tenerife South at 11:45 p.m. Karolina points out that they were told that they were on the waiting list, so they were forced to stay in the Tenerife North terminal all day yesterday to see if there was a place for them. In other words, they couldn’t even enjoy Tenerife a bit. And for today they had confirmed the trip to Fuerteventura. They have already lost two days, at least, of their honeymoon trip, with the hotel and rental car already paid for. Binter He has provided them with accommodation and a taxi. Nely arrived from Zaragoza on the same flight as Karolina and Marius. Her destination was La Palma and she had to leave for that island on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. She yesterday she expected to leave for her place of residence in the afternoon. “We’ve been a bit dizzy,” she commented. In her case, yesterday she missed her day of work. A retired couple, Teresa and Miguel, also arrived from Zaragoza and were on their way to Fuerteventura, where they live. She worries that they are going to pay much more money than expected in the parking lot of the Majorero airport. Lucia also traveled to El Hierro. She says that “if the weather is bad, I’m not going to be mad at anyone.” It was worse for Valerio and his wife, who, after returning from a vacation in Vigo, were going to Fuerteventura. He arrived in Tenerife North on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. And at 4:00 p.m. they canceled all flights. She notes that Binter’s behavior “has been phenomenal.” They have already paid for two hotel nights and taxi rides. But his wife missed a day or two of work.