The Arrecife City Council activated the Municipal Emergency Plan (PEMU) this Tuesday, November 11, in response to forecasts issued by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), which warns of the passage of storm Claudia, capable of bringing heavy rains to the island of Lanzarote, especially in the capital, due to its location in the influence zone of the ravines north of Argana Alta.
The mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, has signed the decree activating the PEMU, which will come into effect this Wednesday, November 12, at 7:00 AM, allowing for the preventive mobilization of all municipal personnel.
The decree is based on the meteorological forecasts from AEMET, the guidelines of the Canary Islands Specific Emergency Plan for Adverse Meteorological Phenomena (PEFMA), and the declaration of a rain alert issued by the Directorate General of Security and Emergencies of the Canary Islands Government for the entire Archipelago. In Lanzarote, rainfall could reach intense levels.
Arrecife, due to its condition as a coastal city located almost at sea level and a natural recipient of runoff, has a Municipal Action Plan for Flood Risk (PAMRIA), which is coordinated with higher-level territorial emergency plans.
During the term of the PEMU, the municipal Civil Protection coordinator will assume technical direction of the operation, in coordination with the mayor. All municipal personnel—including the Public Works, Local Police, and the Security and Emergencies Department, headed by councilman Kevin Cortés—will remain on alert and with on-call teams prepared to intervene if necessary.
Recommendations to the public
The City Council reminds that, as stipulated in the PAMRIA, parking vehicles in flood-sensitive areas is prohibited starting at 7:00 AM on Wednesday, November 12. It is also recommended to exercise extreme caution and avoid unnecessary travel during the heavy rainfall episodes forecast for Thursday.
The AEMET does not rule out episodes of occasionally heavy rainfall in the eastern islands, although generally moderate intensity is expected
Preventive works in the ravines of Argana Alta
For several days now, the City Council's Public Works Department has been working on channeling the ravines located north of Argana Alta, in the area near the Municipal Football Field and the Cemetery road.
These works aim to improve the evacuation of rainwater from the Zonzamas, Mina, and Maneje ravines, which in previous episodes of heavy rainfall have caused washouts towards the city center, as it is a natural outlet to the sea.
In addition, the Department of Security and Emergencies has distributed sandbags among residents of the most affected areas, so they can protect access to homes and garages against possible floods