The storm has extended its reach southwards across Gran Canaria, turning the mid-altitude areas of San Bartolomé de Tirajana into one of the archipelago's critical hotspots during its sixth day of activity. The weather stations at Cuevas del Pinar and Las Tirajanas recorded rainfall totals of 66 and 56,6 liters per square meter respectively on Tuesday, figures that add to an episode that, according to the Cabildo's Emergency Management Technical Directorate, has already dumped more than 700 liters on the island's peaks.
This water saturation of the land has begun to take its toll on the municipality's strategic infrastructure. The mobile phone network is experiencing serious coverage deficiencies and intermittent outages across much of the Las Tirajanas basin, hindering communication in rural areas and scattered settlements. Operators attribute these incidents to failures in the summit repeaters, affected by the intensity of the lightning strikes and the persistent low cloud cover that blocks the communication systems.
Rescue teams are now focused on the stability of the electricity supply. The softening of the subsoil, caused by massive water seepage, threatens the stability of the pylons supporting the high- and medium-voltage power lines that supply electricity to the town. There is a real risk of prolonged power outages in the coming hours; the danger of landslides on the slopes is hindering access for Endesa's repair crews to the areas where the most likely faults are located.
While the Roque de los Muchachos volcano in La Palma recorded a record-breaking 118 liters of hail, southern Gran Canaria is closely monitoring its ravines as the storm is expected to maintain its intensity through Wednesday. With access roads to the mountain peaks under surveillance for landslides and a telecommunications network operating at a bare minimum, San Bartolomé de Tirajana faces the end of March under a rainfall pattern that has already exceeded any average for this time of year.
