STORM CLAUDIA UPDATE: Heavy rain but few major incidents across the Islands
Storm Claudia swept across Tenerife and the western Canary Islands yesterday (Wednesday) and overnight, delivering intense rain, thunderstorms, strong winds and rough seas, but causing relatively few serious incidents.
Authorities, however, warned that the worst was expected overnight, with the potential for locally torrential downpours and flooding.
Heavy rain and first impacts
Entering the archipelago from the west, the storm hit La Palma first, where heavy rain formed small waterfalls flowing down into ravines such as Las Angustias, carrying water from La Caldera to the port of Tazacorte.
Emergency crews dealt with blocked drains, minor flooding, fallen branches and loosened roof materials. According to 112 Canarias, 20 incidents had been recorded up to the evening. Strong winds also created challenges for air operations.
Tenerife reports minor incidents
By 8:00pm, Tenerife had recorded over a dozen minor incidents, mostly linked to strong winds: fallen structural panels, debris, road closures and restrictions on access to high-altitude areas.
Notable incidents included:
- Light structures blown down in Granadilla during gusts of 55 km/h
- Closure of the Tierra del Trigo road (Los Silos)
- Restricted access to Teno
- Evacuation of people who ignored closure signs at Mirador de Chipeque
- Preventive closure of the Radazul seafront
All hiking trails, forest tracks, campsites, recreational areas and protected natural spaces, including Teide National Park, Anaga, and Teno, were closed, along with canyoning areas and other high-risk zones.
Flight disruptions
Latest figures show that 14 flights were diverted on Wednesday due to adverse weather. According to Aena:
- At La Palma, two flights diverted to Tenerife South, and two others to Gran Canaria and Tenerife North.
- At Gran Canaria, four flights were redirected to Fuerteventura, two to Tenerife South, and one to Tenerife North.
- Late in the evening, three flights bound for Lanzarote were also diverted.
Emergency shelters and evacuations
Preventive evacuations were carried out for homeless individuals and people living near flood-prone ravines. Tenerife activated three emergency shelters in the south offering more than 220 places, located in Granadilla, Arona and Adeje.
In the metropolitan area, Santa Cruz added 20 additional places to its municipal shelter, while La Laguna evacuated residents living near ravines such as Macario.
Cabildo president Rosa Dávila praised the rapid response and coordination among services, stressing the need for public cooperation. With 454 personnel mobilised for the PEIN emergency plan, she warned residents to stay at home last night: “It won’t be a good night. Please avoid travelling and check road conditions before driving on Thursday morning.”
La Gomera, El Hierro and Lanzarote
In La Gomera, rain arrived later than expected, but winds exceeding 85 km/h led to closures of roads, trails and public facilities. Ferry services between Valle Gran Rey, Playa Santiago and San Sebastián were suspended.
El Hierro saw rain and wind but few notable incidents, with air and sea travel operating normally.
In Lanzarote, rough seas prevented three cruise ships carrying 4,000 passengers from docking in Arrecife, and three people were rescued from a drifting vessel.
Schools and universities closed
All in-person classes across the Canary Islands are suspended today, Thursday, with teaching continuing online where possible. Schools, including management teams and support staff, remained closed on the advice of Emergency and Civil Protection authorities.
The University of La Laguna also extended the suspension of all in-person activities, switching to online teaching and teleworking for staff.
Regional, island and local administrations activated teleworking to reduce travel and prevent further incidents.
Storm Claudia is expected to continue affecting the islands into Thursday morning, with authorities urging ongoing caution.
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