The wind storm that has affected several islands of the Archipelago in recent weeks has caused a devastating situation in various municipalities, especially in the western province, according to Asaja-Canarias technician Javier Gutiérrez. He acknowledged that the consequences will be noticeable in the coming months, when the harvest of the affected crops (especially bananas and avocados) starts and it becomes clear that the fruit has "lost quality."
Gutiérrez explained that in El Hierro, last week's winds "have made a bad situation worse." In La Gomera, the valley of Hermigua has been the most affected, and in Tenerife, the north eastern region has been the most hit, especially the meshes, which have not resisted the blows of the wind gusts.
The most affected municipality has been Hermigua, in La Gomera, with damage estimated to exceed 50% of the town's agricultural acreage. For this reason, the mayor, Pedro Negrín, has confirmed that "next Monday, 16 January, Hermigua will be declared a catastrophy zone." Some of the crops affected include bananas, avocados and potatoes.
Furthermore, he said that, according to what the technical reports show, the share of the acreage affected "will still increase, because the wind has not been normal; there have been seven consecutive days of very powerful bursts."
The storm has also taken a notable toll in other municipalities of La Gomera, such as Agulo and Vallehermoso. The mayor, Emiliano Coello, has revealed that in Vallehermoso one of the most affected areas has been La Dama. Bananas, potatoes and avocados have been the products that have suffered the most. It is, in his view, "a problem with an impact on both the economy and the landscape."
Source: cadenaser.com
