La Laguna Boosts Coastal Patrols Amid 7-Meter Wave Warning
La Laguna City Council has increased coastal patrols and closed natural pools for the weekend, warning residents of dangerous 7-meter waves and strong winds after recent sea-related deaths.
La Laguna City Council is increasing patrols along its coast this weekend. This is because strong winds are expected, and waves could reach up to 7 meters.
The sea has already damaged the paving at the natural pools in Bajamar and Punta del Hidalgo. These pools were closed on Wednesday so the damaged material could be removed.
In addition, the Citizen Security department has put up buoys and signs to mark off bathing areas and the Coastal Path (also known as the San Juanito path) in Punta del Hidalgo as a precaution.
La Laguna's Mayor, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, urged people to "avoid taking risks to prevent tragic situations like those we've recently seen on our island." He was referring to four people who died after being swept away by the sea in Santiago del Teide. He asked swimmers and fishermen to be extremely careful and follow all instructions. He also advised everyone to avoid going near the sea to watch or photograph it.
Badel Albelo, the Councilor for Citizen Security, has told the head of the Local Police to set up constant patrols along the northeast coast, especially in Jóver and La Barranquera. Working with the Beaches and Pools department, led by Ángel Chinea, the police will have a permanent patrol after 6 PM, once the lifeguards finish their shift. This step is being taken because of a risk assessment due to the expected large waves and swell.
"Even though red flags will be up at our natural pools to ban swimming, we know from experience that we need more police patrols along the entire coast," the councilor explained. "Some people ignore warnings, either because they don't know better or because they take risks." He added that the Beaches and Pools, Citizen Security, Local Police, and Civil Protection departments are all working together to monitor the sea conditions along the coast.
Badel Albelo stated, "The latest forecast for this weekend, especially Saturday, confirms very dangerous sea conditions. Waves could be over 6 or 7 meters high, with strong winds and risky conditions all along the coast. Therefore, we must strongly recommend extreme caution. Please avoid coastal areas, natural pools, and places exposed to waves, like promenades."