“Hermine has brought levels of rainfall that are unprecedented for this time of year,” stated Enrique Espinosa, the chief of Lanzarote’s Emergency and Security Consortium, referring to the heavy rainfall brought by the passage of Tropical Storm Hermine over the weekend.
Sources vary as to the amount of rainfall, but Meteorología Lanzarote has stated that Puerto del Carmen saw the most rainfall over the entire weekend, with a total of 75.6 litres. Nevertheless, the island avoided any high winds, which are the most destructive aspect of cyclones.
Hermine originated near the Cape Verde islands, and was the eighth tropical storm of this year’s hurricane season. When storms originate close to the African coast they can sometimes become “Cape Verde hurricanes”, gathering huge destructive force as they cross the Atlantic. However, in this case Hermine petered out fairly soon without hitting land, and heavy rainfall on the Canaries was its only major effect.
“We’ve got through this situation thanks to the extraordinary work and leadership of the Security Consortium,” and the responsible , mature attitudes of the people on the island,” said Cabildo president María Dolores Corujo yesterday.The rain has now passed, and its effects are likely to be seen within days, as plant life briefly flourishes on hillsides and in the barrancos.
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