1826 "San Florencio" Confirmed Tenerife's Worst Storm

When people on Tenerife think about bad weather, two events usually come to mind: the floods during the storm of March 31st and Tropical Storm Delta. Both happened in this century and shocked everyone because they were so extreme, causing deaths and millions in damage.

Weather records confirm these were significant events. However, neither of them was the worst weather disaster Tenerife has ever faced.

That title belongs to the "Storm of San Florencio," which happened almost 200 years ago. It devastated half the island and killed at least 300 people. This storm hit between November 7th and 8th, 1826. While other islands in the Canary Archipelago saw rain, Tenerife was hit hardest, experiencing what is still its worst flood in history.

Many studies have looked into this event, examining old records and documents to understand both the weather conditions that led to such a tragedy and its true impact on the island.

Among these, a notable study was published by two experts from the University of La Laguna (ULL), José Bethencourt-González and Pedro Dorta Antequera. Their detailed article appeared in the respected Swedish scientific journal Geografiska annaler Series A - Physical Geography from Uppsala University.

Their study carefully reviews the storm's destruction—the lives lost, the damage, and the desolation it left behind. Using solid evidence, they corrected the varying figures that had been associated with this event for years. The researchers also confirmed that this storm was a true tropical cyclone, the most powerful type of tropical weather disturbance.

In those days, storms were named after the saint of the day, which is why this event is known as the Hurricane or Storm of San Florencio. Although official records from 1826 state 300 deaths, some documents suggest the number could have been over a thousand. For example, Puerto de la Cruz buried many bodies found at sea days after the rains.

Specifically, according to Canon Don Francisco Martínez de Fuentes in his Vida Literaria, this flood caused 261 deaths in Tenerife. It also destroyed 1,080 livestock animals, 344 houses, 16 bridges, 8 aqueducts, 10 mills, 3 castles, 3 temples, and 3 large ships. The total cost of the damage was estimated at over seven million pesetas of that time.

The study's findings are alarming: wind gusts likely exceeded those recorded during Tropical Storm Delta in 2005. The rains were incredibly heavy, with some areas possibly receiving over 500 millimeters in just a few hours, and many places getting well over 100 millimeters in a single day.

The results were catastrophic. In Tenerife alone, more than 600 private homes were destroyed. The damage to forests, farms, and livestock was immense. Some areas lost up to 30% of their fertile soil, and thousands of animals were swept away by raging ravines.

But the most tragic outcome was the loss of human lives. Accounts from the time describe "countless dead" and "floating corpses" in the overflowing rivers, painting a horrifying picture of those days. The researchers' count suggests at least 298 people died in Tenerife alone, a number that might increase as further studies include data from other islands.

Octavio Rodríguez, a historian for the Güímar region, has written several articles about this flood, which particularly affected the town of Candelaria.

Candelaria was the worst-hit town. The flood destroyed parts of the Dominican Convent, the Chapel of the Virgin, and San Pedro Castle. It also swept away the original statue of the Virgin of Candelaria, which had been worshipped since the time of the Guanches. Eight people died in the castle, including Corporal Pablo Benítez and his family.

Interestingly, parts of the destroyed castle and cannons were found centuries later. Some of these were reused when building the current Basilica, keeping the memory of that tragic night alive, as Octavio Rodríguez notes in his writings.

In Güímar, seven people died, mainly in the Dehesas de Agache and La Hoya neighborhood. Also, 103 farm animals, including oxen, horses, mules, donkeys, goats, sheep, and chickens, were killed.

Dozens of houses were damaged, and fig groves, other fruit trees, and vineyards were destroyed. The economic losses amounted to 196,476.33 pesos. Additionally, the water channels in the Barranco de Badajoz were severely damaged, requiring the community to contribute money and labor for repairs.

Compared to Güímar, the damage was less severe. Livestock and some crops were lost, and one person died: Agustín Pérez Bencomo, who was swept away by the Añavingo ravine.

One person, José Fresneda, died in a shipwreck caused by the storm. The local church suffered significant damage, with collapsed walls and damaged flooring, which disrupted church activities until it was rebuilt in 1828.

Official reports from that era state that in La Orotava, at least twelve new ravines appeared, destroying crops, sweeping away houses, and changing the landscape of the valley. Puerto de la Cruz reported over 40 deaths, with bodies washed onto the beach and homes destroyed. In Los Realejos, nine houses and a stone bridge were completely buried by the water, and at least 14 people died in the area.

The reports emphasize that the ravines in the mountains and nearby valleys swelled enormously, carrying away rocks, trees, and farmland. The local economy was severely impacted: vineyards, orchards, and livestock were destroyed, and material losses included hundreds of homes and thousands of animals.