Tenerife flood of 2002 facts for kids
| Native name | Riada de Tenerife de 2002 |
|---|---|
| Date | 31 March 2002 |
| Location | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Also known as | 31-M |
| Type | flash flood |
| Cause | cold drop |
| Deaths | 8 |
The Tenerife flood of 2002, also called 31-M, was a very sudden flood. It happened in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, on March 31, 2002. This flood was caused by a lot of rain falling very quickly. Over 230 liters of rain fell on each square meter in less than six hours. This heavy rain sadly caused eight people to die. It also caused a lot of damage, costing about €20 million.
What Caused the Flood?
On the afternoon of March 31, 2002, which was Easter Sunday, a special kind of weather system formed. It was a "cold drop," which means a pocket of very cold air high up in the atmosphere. This cold drop got stuck over the Santa Cruz de Tenerife area.
The heavy rain started around 2:40 PM. It got much stronger by 4:20 PM, with over 60 millimeters of rain falling each hour. The rain was heaviest around 5:00 PM, when 162.7 millimeters fell in just one hour! The rain started to slow down after 5:30 PM and stopped completely by 8:00 PM. In total, 232.6 liters of rain fell on every square meter of land.
It's still a bit of a mystery why this weather system stayed in one place. Usually, such systems would move away within an hour. This was the most rain recorded in Santa Cruz in at least 70 years.
What Happened After the Flood?
The flood had a big impact on the area. Eight people lost their lives. Many buildings were damaged, including 647 homes and 423 businesses.
- About 40,000 homes lost electricity. Power was back on for most people within three days.
- Around 90,000 landline phones stopped working. These were fixed within a day, but mobile phone service took longer to return.
- Water pipes and sewer systems also broke down.
- The Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Tenerife North Airport had to close.
- Schools for 38,000 students were also closed.
At first, people thought the damage would cost about €90 million. Later, the estimated damage was set at €20 million. Fixing the roads and other important structures cost €21 million. A lot of money was also spent on cleaning and improving the natural water channels to prevent future floods.
In May 2002, the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I of Spain, visited the islands. He met with the families of those who died in the floods. In 2003, an artist named Felipe Hodgson gave a special statue to Santa Cruz. It's called "Person looking at the horizon" and helps remember the flood victims.
See also
In Spanish: Riada de Tenerife de 2002 para niños
