PHOTOS: Sergio Betancort
Las Cucharas beach in Costa Teguise woke up this Wednesday with a channel crossing it in two. Due to the storm, the Hurón ravine that flows into that beach has been filled throughout the night with a torrent of water that has ended up devouring part of the coastline, creating a sinkhole in the sand. The councilor of beaches of Teguise, Eugenio Robayna, has pointed out that, "as soon as it subsides", the City Council will act so that the area "returns to normal". In addition, he stressed that the incidents that the municipality has registered during the night have been "practically insignificant". However, he pointed out that two secondary roads remain closed and there is a red flag on "almost all beaches due to adverse coastal phenomena".
"The beach is the mouth of the Hurón ravine, it is born in the northern part of the municipality. We are talking about Los Valles, the castle of Teguise, El Mojón...", explained Robayna, pointing out that "when it rains a lot, all that flow that comes down from the northern part and even comes from the municipality of Haría, will flow" to Las Cucharas. The mayor has assured that the beach "will return to normal in 2 or 3 days". As he explained, as soon as weather conditions allow, the machinery will be moved to that area of the coast to level the ground and replace sand. He stressed, however, that it is "a part" of the beach, stressing that not all of its extension has been affected.
Eugenio Robayna explained that, although "cleaning sweeps" had already been carried out in the ravine, the mud has reached this part of the coast and has ended up "eating" part of the beach. "It has always happened, because it is the mouth", he points out. In this sense, he pointed out that the Teguise City Council is trying to promote a project to avoid situations like this. The action would consist of building "walls" along the ravine that contain the mud and prevent it from reaching the beach. That project, he explains, "is being debated" and would affect a part of the ravine, "from the upper part where the Costa Teguise soccer field will begin to be built to Las Cucharas beach". Robayna pointed out that to carry it out it would be necessary around one million euros. Among the options to finance it, the City Council contemplates that it be included in the Tourist Infrastructure Plans or that the investment be financed by the Cabildo.
Red flag and cleaning sweeps to "return to normal"
Regarding the rest of the incidents that the rain has left in the municipality of Teguise, the councilor, who in addition to the beaches also manages Cleaning, Emergencies and Roads and Works, has pointed out that they have been "practically insignificant". According to reports from the Security and Emergency Consortium, they have only had to intervene due to small-scale flooding in a home in Costa Teguise. Civil Protection and Emerlan, for their part, have intervened in other incidents within the groups coordinated by the City Council.
"We have not had problems on the beaches themselves, but we have closed Famara beach and there is a red flag due to strong waves; and we have put red flags on practically all the beaches", explained Robayna. He also pointed out that the road that runs parallel to Famara beach and the one that connects Nazaret with the Teguise Agroindustrial Complex remain closed.
According to him, several cleaning sweeps are already acting in various areas of the municipality. "Since 7 in the morning they have been doing sweeps in Los Valles, in Guatiza, in the historic center of La Villa, the ravines, Nazaret, Tahíche... We want to leave the municipality clean throughout today and, if not, we will continue tomorrow", says the mayor. There is also "heavy machinery" working and agricultural roads are being cleaned.
Robayna explained that throughout the night they have received calls from neighbors, all of them "without seriousness", and that the group of 40 people who have remained working has resolved "quickly". Thus, they have been alerted to the presence of a large stone on the Nazaret road and of a broken cactus that prevented passage on the Tahíche road. Already during the day, this Wednesday, a group of "between 60 and 70 people are working for the entire municipality, to return to normal".
