The clean up is expected to take several months

23.01.2010 - Pictures of the massive flooding and mudslides which hit the area on 21 December made the national headlines but now that the media glare has eased the victims quietly get on with the clean-up of the town and beaches, which is expected to take several months.

Some have lost everything, include local carpenter Ismael Díez, whose entire workshop was destroyed leaving him with no way of earning a liv­ing.  “I lost about €120,000 in equipment and wood but at least I did not get dragged away by the rushing water and mud and end up at the end of the ravine,” says Ismael, who hopes the aid promised by the Canarian government will arrive sooner rather than later. Another local man Sal­vador Díaz confesses openly that he feared for his life as he saw everything swept away in the freak flood.  “The boulder-filled waters descended from the hillside like lightning and I could only watch and pray as I watched from my roof.  My sister’s house next door was simply washed away and my own has suffered extensive damage,” he explained.

Tasarte’s Christmas and New Year Celebrations were understandably low-key this year and most spent the fes­tive days cleaning the mud and debris from the homes and salvaging furniture and personal effects.  Doctors in the area say they have had to prescribe tranquilisers and anti-depressants to several residents to help them cope with the tragedy.



This article appears in the print edition 608 of Island Connections

Gallery: Disaster recovery

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