Tenerife Seeks Emergency Funding After Storm Causes €33 Million in Damages
Tenerife officials are seeking emergency national funding after estimating that recent storm damage to the island's infrastructure, particularly its road network, has reached 33.3 million euros.
The cost of the recent storm in Tenerife is becoming clear, with the island’s government (Cabildo) estimating the damage at 33.3 million euros. This significant figure highlights the strain the storm has placed on the island's infrastructure and natural environment.
In response, Cabildo President Rosa Dávila and Minister of the Presidency José Miguel Ruano have announced plans to request that the island be declared a "Zone Seriously Affected by a Civil Protection Emergency." Under national law, this status would allow the local government to access emergency funding to repair essential services and public spaces, provided they can prove the storm caused major disruption to daily life or critical infrastructure.
The road network suffered the most, with repairs estimated at 12.6 million euros. This highlights how vulnerable Tenerife’s transport links are, especially given the island’s challenging terrain. The Cabildo acted quickly to finalize these initial estimates to speed up the application process with the central government.
While officials acknowledge that these figures are preliminary and could change, their goal is to secure at least half of the required funding from the national budget. The outcome of this request will be vital for the recovery of the worst-hit areas, as managing climate-related risks becomes an increasingly urgent priority for the Canary Islands.