EMERGENCY PLAN REACTIVATED IN FACE OF STORM

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Saturday February 27 2010

TENERIFE'S government launched its emergency plan for the third time in a month on Friday in response to the latest storms.

by JAMES TWEEDIE

The Cabildo Insular activated the plan at 2pm on Friday after Spanish State Meteorological Agency warned of winds of up to 120 kph (75 mph) heading to the archipelago from Madeira to the north.

Roads to the Mount Teide national park were closed to the public over the weekend, with predictions of gusts of up to 160 kph (100 mph) in the mountains.
The Cabildo warned residents to remain at home with their windows shuttered, to remove objects from roofs and balconies which could be blown off and to avoid all unnecessary travel.

The hot winds hit Tenerife at 1am local time (GMT) on Saturday. Brief but heavy showers followed after sunrise.
The bad weather did not stop Saturday's sold-out Spanish Premier League football match between CD Tenerife and Real Madrid in the island's capital Santa Cruz. The Azul y Blanco may have wished it had, given the 5-1 drubbing they received at the hands of the visitors.

The latest storm follows heavy rains on February 1 which caused widespread flooding and more than €11 million worth of damage.

That storm was followed by high winds and more rain on February 16 and 17 which resulted in an island-wide electricity blackout in Tenerife.

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