Delta

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Historic sites · Year: 2005

The tropical storm Delta can be considered one of the most important meteorological phenomena to have affected the Canary Islands throughout their history. After forming in the Gulf of Guinea, contrary to its normal trajectory westwards, the cyclone turned north, first positioning itself near the Azores and then moving eastwards, directly affecting Madeira and the Canaries during 28 and 29 November 2005.

The storm of rain and especially wind was felt on all the islands, but Tenerife was the most affected. Hurricane-force winds reached more than 140 km/h on the coast and almost 250 km/h on Teide.

In Santa Cruz there were several injuries and considerable damage. Numerous trees were uprooted; fences and eaves disappeared; glass was broken; serious damage to homes; facade cladding was torn off. Many people spent the night at the Santa Cruz de Tenerife bus station, which served as a refuge, as all transport routes to the rest of the island were cut off.

On the other hand, four large high-voltage transmission towers on the route through Añaza fell or were so bent by the force of the wind that they became totally unusable. These were basic and fundamental lines for supply to the capital and the rest of the metropolitan area (San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tegueste and El Rosario). Around 300,000 people were left without electricity for a considerable time; in some cases, they were without supply for a whole week.

The chaos was total: without electricity and, at times, without water, with damage to buildings and public roads, with significant faults in both fixed and mobile telephone lines; basic services (health, education, economic activity in general) were suspended for several days.

That 28 November 2005 has been marked as one of the most catastrophic days the city has known.

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