The Cabildo stresses prompt action was taken after heavy rains hit Tenerife North.

The weather forecast issued by the Agencia Estatal de Meteorología was for 15 litres a square metre but 100 litres were recorded and the radar station still is not working.

El Cabildo de Tenerife stresses that all the safety teams working for the Island Corporation acted swiftly when the north of the island was hit by heavy rains yesterday (Monday 16th).

The Island Corporatoin would like to point out that the weather forecast issued by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Meteorología was 15 litres per square metre when 110 litres were recorded and the radar station at los Pechos in Gran Canaria is still not working.

Rundown of events:

At 15.00 hours: the first emergency calls are registered at the 112 emergency number and the following emergency services are activated: Consorcio de Bomberos, Brigadas de Conservación de Carreteras staff from the Servicio de Gestión de Emergencias del Gobierno de Canarias.

At 16.00 hours: Gobierno de Canarias declares a pre-alert situation due to Adverse Meteorolgical Phenomenon (FMA) and actives its Plan Especial por Fenómeno Metereológico Adverso (PEFMA).

At 16.15 hours: the Military Emergency Unit (UME) is activated.

At 17.00 hours: the standby teams at the 10 Fire Stations on the island are activated and 90 firemen and 18 vehicles rush to the scene. The standby road safety teams are also activated: 60 men, 3 bulldozers and 12 vehicles.

At 17.30 hours: a crisis committee is convened formed by the president of the Cabildo, Ricardo Melchior and the island councillors of the Cabildo’s departments of the Environment (Medio Ambiente) and Roads, Safety & Mobility (Carreteras y Movilidad y Seguridad) as well as  island councillor Mónica Méndez and several heads of departments.

At 18.30 hours: the crisis committee meets at the operations headquarters of the 112-CECOES, together with the Dirección General de Seguridad y Emergencia of the Gobierno de Canarias.

At 19.00 hours: the president of the Cabildo signs the document declaring a state of Emergency Level 1 (Islandwide) and officially requesting intervention by the Military Emergency Unit (UME).

N.B. This is a standard formality, which in NO WAY affects or delays implementation of any of the emergency operations – these began THREE HOURS EARLIER. (continues)….

At 21.00 hours: an advanced command post is set up (PMA) at the Parque de Bomberos in La Orotava, from where, under the coordination of the Fire Chief, all operations are managed throughout the night.

At 06.00am today: the state of emergency is lifted and the road squadrons continue working. Of the 11 affected roads, all of them except TF-326 have been opened to traffic.

Updates and information: http://www.diariodetenerife.info/