The showers that were occasionally heavy on Sunday in Tenerife, amid the yellow alert for precipitation issued by the Aemet, resulted in striking visuals in the island’s northeast.
In areas such as La Laguna and Tegueste, the accumulation of water hampered traffic flow and posed a risk, which sparked local residents’ criticism regarding the lack of upkeep of the urban infrastructure.
This situation was notably evident in Tegueste, Tejina, and along the main route to Punta del Hidalgo. Various videos circulated on social media depicted streets inundated with water in these locations, along with grievances about the state of the drainage system and the build-up of litter in gullies.
“This is neither Valencia nor Malaga. It is Tenerife. The La Laguna City Council has neglected the entire northern region. Sewers are blocked, and ravines overflow with rubbish. This is our situation while they focus on tourism. We are not equipped to handle a DANA,” a user posted on X (Twitter).
Esto no es Valencia ni Málaga. Esto es Tenerife, el Ayuntamiento de La Laguna tiene toda la zona norte abandonada, alcantarillas tapadas y barrancos llenos de basura. Así nos tienen, mientras piensan en más turismo 😢 No estamos preparados para una Dana. @tenerife_meteo @elpaiscanario pic.twitter.com/gNVZhcgO6h
— hadawassa (@GuasiFuentes) November 17, 2024
Another significantly affected region on the island was a section of the La Esperanza highway (TF-24), where the lack of a surface drainage system is a persistent headache during rainy spells.
The specialised traffic account Tenerife Vial, via social media, stated:
Dado que no hay un sistema de drenaje de aguas pluviales (GUNETA), cuando llueve, ingresa más agua a la carretera.
Mal 👎🏽
TF24 entre Km 4 y Km 5
/ @carreterasTF[Norma 5.2-IC.Drenaje Superficial]
[Orden Circular 17/2003: Recomendaciones] pic.twitter.com/BqEYWV1NQy— Tenerife Vial (@TenerifeVial) November 17, 2024
The rain intensified during the afternoon across the northeast of Tenerife.
‼️🌧️ Compilación de algunos videos que grabamos de la intensa lluvia que cayó en algunas partes del noreste de Tenerife.
🌩️ Mañana aumenta la posibilidad de que estas lluvias se intensifiquen en cualquier parte de la Isla. pic.twitter.com/HvWfN1UTY1
— ☁MeteoLaMatanza☁ (@meteolamatanza) November 17, 2024
Although the downpours did not lead to major incidents, as per the authorities, this event underscores the inadequacies of the infrastructure in handling meteorological events, reigniting discussions on the preparedness and maintenance of the roads and rainwater systems across the island.
