A storm

Floodwater beside the famous balcones. Photo by Wilmer Barreto Ramos
Floodwater beside the famous balcones. Photo by Wilmer Barreto Ramos

Update:And about 50 people who live on the edge of ravines in Mazo have been evacuated. I don’t know if the authorities are worried about flooding or landslides or both.

The airport is closed. The roads into the Caldera and Los Tilos are closed, the one up to the top east-west tunnel (and the lower tunnel is bi-directional) as is the “mimbres” road – the old one around the north of the island. The hiking paths are closed. (Frankly, it’s not a good day for a walk anyway.)

The power is back on in Franceses.

[end update]

Well obviously it’s nothing like Sandy, but we’ve got bad weather here, with strong winds, gusting to 120 km/h on the peaks and intermittent buckets of rain. The schools are closed, the road to the observatory is most emphatically closed, most optional activities are cancelled and parts of the island are without power.

The sea is wild, with huge walls of spray chasing catspaws.

One good thing – the rain has finally put out the last of the smouldering fires on La Gomera.

I’m staying home, curled up with hot chocolate and a good book.

Catspaw off the coast of Bajamar, Breña Baja
Catspaw off the coast of Bajamar

Posted by sheila

Sheila came to La Palma with a six month contract and has stayed 24 years so far. She used to work as a software engineer at the observatory, but now she's a writer and Starlight guide.

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