Storm Therese Aftermath: 400 Emergencies, Reservoirs Overflow, Woman Rescued from Ravine

Storm Therese has battered the Canary Islands since Wednesday. What started as a weather warning has become the season's most severe meteorological event: schools closed, flights cancelled, roads blocked, carnival events postponed. CITA News, your news portal for Gran Canaria, delivers the first comprehensive assessment — and explains why the weekend remains dangerous.

400 Emergency Responses and 2,300 Without Power

By Friday evening, emergency services across the Canary Islands had logged approximately 400 incidents. The majority involved rockfalls, toppled trees and flooded roads. On Gran Canaria alone, the Cabildo reported over 40 individual cases — concentrated in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Telde, San Mateo, Mogán, Teror and Agaete. Around 2,300 people were temporarily without electricity.

The worst-hit areas: the summit and the southern slopes. The GC-505 (Arguineguín–Soria) and GC-608 remained closed. Residents of the Arguineguín and Huesa Bermeja ravines were evacuated.

Rescue in the Barranco de Arguineguín

The most dramatic scene unfolded in southern Mogán: firefighters rescued a woman who had become trapped in the Barranco de Arguineguín after rapidly rising floodwater. The victim was treated for hypothermia. The operation was captured on video and spread across the islands' news channels.

In total, four people were directly injured by the storm — three from falls and one from the hypothermia incident during the ravine rescue.

Reservoirs Overflow for the First Time Since 2015

The good news amid the destruction: Gran Canaria's reservoirs are filling at levels not seen in years. Six dams are already overflowing — Candelaria, El Vaquero, Lugarejos, El Parralillo, Siberio and Las Hoyas. La Sorrueda reports heavy inflow, El Mulato sits at 75 per cent capacity, and Caidero is close to spilling over.

More than 600,000 cubic metres of water have entered the reservoirs — before the powerful Saturday front, which is expected to push those figures significantly higher. The Cabildo plans to release a final assessment early next week. For context: the last time the Lugarejos dam overflowed was in 2015. Storms Emilia and Francis had already contributed 2.5 million cubic metres in late 2025 — now hundreds of thousands more are being added.

Cabildo President Antonio Morales said the water reserves could now secure agricultural irrigation through 2026 and partially into 2027 — a historic turnaround after five years of drought.

Wind, Waves, Snow: Therese Has Many Faces

The storm brought more than rain. Wind gusts of 123 km/h were recorded in Agaete. On the coast of Adeje (Tenerife), residents of El Puertito were evacuated as waves reached their homes. In Teror, the wind demolished a large marquee structure on the Plaza de Sintes.

On Mount Teide in Tenerife, snow has fallen below 1,800 metres. Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel was stranded with his wife at the Parador de Las Cañadas and asked on Instagram whether anyone knew how to reach the airport — he was due to fly to the Volta a Catalunya.

AEMET issued an Aviso Naranja (Orange Warning) for all of Saturday on Gran Canaria: heavy rainfall, thunderstorms with hail in the medianías and sustained strong southwest winds.

What Tourists in the South Need to Know

For holidaymakers in Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés and Meloneras: beach visits are prohibited when the red flag flies. Coastal walkways can be flooded by wave surges. Barrancos are life-threatening during rain — even dry riverbeds can fill within minutes. Never park rental cars in dips or ravines.

The Gran Cabalgata of Maspalomas has already been postponed to 28 March. The Sunday carnival programme (Burial of the Sardine) remains uncertain. Mogán has moved its cabalgata to 29 March to avoid clashing with Maspalomas.

The Gran Canaria football federation has suspended all matches on Saturday as well. The Rally Villa de Santa Brígida has been postponed. The Días de Poesía festival in Las Palmas has paused for a week.

Weekend: No All-Clear

AEMET warns: Storm Therese remains stationary northwest of the Canaries and will only begin to weaken from Sunday. Saturday brings another powerful front with torrential rain, thunderstorms and gusts up to 90 km/h. A gradual improvement is expected from Monday — but genuine stability is not forecast until Wednesday.

Cabildo President Antonio Morales has urged residents not to drive into the summit area over the weekend. Road conditions remain hazardous and further landslides are likely.

CITA News continues to monitor the situation. Current warnings: aemet.es and @112canarias.