The Security and Emergency Consortium of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, led by Francisco Aparicio, has issued a series of recommendations following the activation of the yellow warning for coastal phenomena and wind during this weekend.
As Aparicio explained, the General Directorate of Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands has activated from 00:00 hours this Saturday the alert for coastal phenomena, which would mainly affect the northwest area of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, with waves of more than 4 meters possible.
Therefore, the General Directorate of Emergencies has activated the Specific Emergency Plan of the Canary Islands for Risks of Adverse Meteorological Phenomena PEFMA for coastal phenomena. (Decree 18/2014, of March 20).
Recommendations to the population
How to prevent:
- Protect your home from the possible invasion of seawater.
- Do not stand at the end of docks or breakwaters, and do not risk taking photos or videos near where the waves break.
- Avoid fishing in risk areas.
- Do not drive a vehicle on roads near the beach line.
- Never swim on secluded beaches or beaches that you do not know well enough, because there may be local eddies.
- Avoid swimming on beaches with a red flag, in areas with strong waves and undertow, or that lack surveillance and rescue services.
- Avoid practicing sports and water sports in areas affected by groundswell and do not camp on the beach when there is a sea storm alert.
- If you notice some unusual waves, do not stay near the sea, or approach it, even if it calms down suddenly.
- If you have a boat, try to secure its mooring in a sheltered place.
- If you see other people in dangerous places, warn them of the danger.
- If you fall into the water, move away from where the waves break, ask for help and wait to be rescued.
- If you try to get out and are dragged by the waves, try to calm down; do not swim against the current and let yourself be carried away. Generally, coastal currents lose intensity in other sections and it is then that you should swim.
- If you are on land and see that someone has fallen into the water, throw them a rope with a float, or any other object that they can hold on to. Immediately notify 1-1-2.
- For any request for information, call 0-12.
Recommendations to municipalities
- Anticipate the signage of areas that usually suffer damage in the municipality (premises, low parking areas, promenades, etc.).
- Control areas of possible landslides.
- Inform and alert municipal officials and members of the municipal organization.
- Be attentive to meteorological information and, in particular, to warnings issued from CECOES 1-1-2. Establish surveillance and information mechanisms on the situation
- Determine Surveillance Points with the following functions:
- Sign or mark the floodable areas of the municipality: avoid parking vehicles, ensure that activities that may be affected are not carried out.
- Make a forecast of the available and necessary resources.
- Establish the corresponding notices to the emergency services, basic services and entities
- Communicate the activation of the municipal plan to CECOES 1-1-2.
- Use the TETRA RESCAN network as the main radio communications system with CECOES 1-1-2
- Control access to promenades, breakwaters and dikes.
- Evacuate the beaches if necessary and prevent bathing in the sea and prohibit sports and recreational activities in the sea.
- In a situation of imminent risk, cut off traffic on those roads or paths that lead to floodable areas (traffic control). Especially sign and cut off fords.
- Notify the population that is in the areas where the assessment of the situation makes it foreseeable that damage will occur
- Evaluate the constitution of the CECOPAL and the management and advisory bodies of the PEMU.
- Carry out other preventive tasks that it considers appropriate for this situation.
