Lanzarote has 35 areas of significant potential flood risk, according to the Flood Risk Management Plan of the island, planned for the period between 2021 and 2027 and published in June 2021, which seeks to prepare the population and institutions for the increased risk of extreme weather events.
This plan arises from a European directive in which Spanish regions are required to assess the risk of flooding, create hazard maps, which include flood zones and draw up risk management plans.
As has already come to light with the floods in Valencia, "floods are the natural disaster that causes the most damage in Spain." Faced with them, the role of climate change is undeniable. The effects of the climate crisis "on water, aquatic ecosystems and economic activities are evident and progressive."
Of these 35 areas at risk of flooding in Lanzarote, six are of fluvial or pluvial origin, all of them ravines. Meanwhile, the rest of the points are of coastal origin.
Among the ravines are Argana Alta, Hurón, Elvira, Tenegüime, Los Pocillos and La Fuente.
Meanwhile, the hazard and flood risk maps include different towns and urbanizations. The towns and tourist resorts at significant potential risk of flooding are Órzola, Punta Mujeres, Arrieta, Los Cocoteros, Costa Teguise, Las Caletas, Playa Honda, Puerto del Carmen, Puerto Calero, Playa Quemada, the area of Montaña Roja, El Golfo, La Santa, Caleta de Caballo, Caleta de Famara, Punta del Palo, la Caleta de Las Escamas. In addition to the town of Caleta de Sebo, in La Graciosa.
In these spaces there are dozens of affected beaches such as the beach of Caleta de Espino (Punta Mujeres), the beach of La Garita (Arrieta), Bastián and Jablillo beach (Costa Teguise), El Ancla beaches (Las Caletas), Castillo de San Gabriel beach, El Reducto and Muelle de la Pescadería and El Cable (Arrecife), La Concha, Guasimeta, Playa Honda (Playa Honda), Los Pocillos, Playa Barranquillo, Playa del Dice, Playa Grande, Playa Pila de la Barilla and Pocillos (Puerto del Carmen), Playa Puerto Muelas (Papagayo), Playa Blanca and Playa Flamingo (Playa Blanca), the beach of Ría de la Santa (La Santa Sport), the beach of La Caleta (in Caleta de Famara), Cocinitas beach (Punta del Palo).
In addition to Los Sebadales de La Graciosa, in Caleta de Sebo, or those of Guasimeta in El Cable and Playa Honda. Spaces like the Charco de San Ginés or the Chinijo Archipelago.
Of the areas at risk of flooding, 53% are linked to bathing areas; 14% to areas of special conservation, 10% related to special protection areas for birds, 8% are water catchment areas for supply and another 8% to protected natural spaces; and 6% are sensitive areas.
These areas of significant potential flood risk do not include floods that may arise from the inability of sanitation or urban drainage networks.
This hydrological plan analyzes the level of "exposure and vulnerability" of socioeconomic activities and ecosystems to reduce exposure and vulnerability. In this line, it draws a risk map for the population, of risk to economic activities, of potential points of special importance
In addition, it outlines the importance of the competent administrations getting involved to improve knowledge about the risks, create tools, improve coordination and create regulations accordingly.
The Territorial Plan for Civil Protection Emergencies of the Canary Islands (PLATECA) identifies situations based on risks: pre-alert, alert, maximum alert and emergency.
Within the situation, different levels are established, depending on who is responsible for the Emergency Management: municipal, island, regional and state level.
The economic costs of flooding in Lanzarote
In the Canary Islands, the Tenerife floods of 2002, in which eight people died, involved compensation worth 42 million euros to cover material damage, the highest figure given in the archipelago, even above the damage of the Delta in 2005.
In the case of Lanzarote, the damages suffered during the period between 2011 and 2017 have amounted to 1.7 million euros. On that date, the points most affected by the floods in the period between 2011 and 2017 have been Arrecife (213 events) and the neighborhood of Maciot (13) , Costa Teguise (40), and Puerto del Carmen (14).
