The president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, urged residents on Wednesday to exercise caution in light of the impending arrival of the ‘Olivier’ storm, which has put the islands under notice for rain, winds and storms, with significant downpours anticipated on the island this evening.
During a press conference addressing government council decisions, Dávila reminded everyone that following the declaration of an alert and orange level for rainfall in Tenerife, the Cabildo initiated the Insular Emergency Plan. This plan involves the deployment of over 300 personnel, including firefighters, brifor, environmental agents, and road maintenance teams.
“We experienced a relatively calm night. We are under an alert and orange notice for rain, and the Aemet forecast predicts rain throughout this evening,” stated the island’s president. She further noted that should these predictions come to fruition, they could see “strong to very strong downpours reaching between 40 and 80 litres per square metre within 12 hours.”
Regarding the measures implemented, she mentioned that transit along forest tracks and pathways is prohibited, along with access to recreational and camping zones in the island’s mountainous areas. Additionally, climbing to the peak of Teide and activities related to canyoneering are also forbidden.
“The municipalities are on alert, executing their municipal emergency plans, while we remain coordinated with the Government of the Canary Islands,” Dávila said, recommending that residents consistently adhere to the self-protection guidelines issued by Civil Protection.
