One dead after storms hit Canary Islands

Tue, 02 Feb 2010

Santa Cruz - Heavy rains and thunder storms wreaked havoc on the Canary Islands Tuesday, leaving one person dead and causing severe damage. On the holiday island of Gran Canaria, scaffolding collapsed, killing one worker and severely injuring another, according to Spanish authorities.

Many of the Islands' roads were impassable due to flooding and debris left over from landslides.

On Tenerife, towns were also partially flooded. The streets of the island's capital, Santa Cruz, were covered in a layer of mud washed down from the mountains.

Around 30,000 inhabitants were left without electricity and many smaller villages were cut off by the floods.

In San Cristobal de la Laguna, in the north of the island, mud was washed into the island's oldest church, threatening wall decorations dating back to 1499.

On the island of La Palma, waves pulled parked cars into the Atlantic and 30 people had to be brought to safety because their homes were threatened by the sea.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/307162,one-dead-after-storms-hit-canary-islands.html.