By Fatma Younis
A severe storm lashed the Canary Islands early Monday, cutting power across La Palma and bringing unexpected snow to the summit of Mount Teide on Tenerife.
Power Outage on La Palma
Torrential rainfall of up to 30 litres per square metre per hour prompted a maximum alert from midnight. The Canary Islands regional government activated an emergency response plan to monitor the situation and coordinate public agencies. Electricity supply across La Palma was fully restored by 10:26 am GMT. Red Eléctrica, the Spanish grid operator, said thermal power stations went offline and the causes remain under investigation.
Snow Closes Mount Teide
On nearby Tenerife, snow fell on Mount Teide, one of the island's main natural attractions. Authorities closed the summit to hikers, allowing only mountaineers with proper winter equipment, but warned that high-altitude paths remain dangerous. Lower elevations saw milder conditions, with the Met Office forecasting highs of 28°C on Monday, dropping to 26°C on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Recent Offshore Earthquakes
The storm and snow follow two earthquakes off the coast of Lanzarote on 25 October. The strongest, magnitude 3.1, struck at 6:08 pm west of the island, while a 2.6 magnitude tremor occurred 14 hours earlier at a depth of 19.2 miles. Spain's National Geographic Institute located the tremors under the offshore label "Atlántico-Canarias," indicating a remote location. Seismic activity is common in the channel between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, though most offshore tremors are small and go unnoticed.
