Los temporales marinos como episodios de riesgo en Tenerife a través de la prensa (1985-2003)

Resum

Sea storms increase the hazard of coastlines which have been substantially transformed by man. This is the case of the coastlines in Tenerife which have been developed as a consequence of an economic model based on tourism and construction. The aim of this article is to consider, on the one hand, the role of the regional press in verifying that 30 of the 65 registered sea storms in Tenerife, between 1985 and 2003, constitute a risk because of their repercussions on the population and land, and on the other hand, to identify the causes which explain why the other 35 storms are considered to be natural phenomena. Sea-swell, sea-level, wind and atmospheric situation variables are also analysed. The local press reports two types of sea storms: S coastal storms which are characteristic of an irregular swell and are associated with local winds and rains and those which occur in the N and W coastal storms which are characteristic of an intense and regular swell. The storms of swell and sea which take place in the marine channel between Tenerife and Gran Canaria don’t appear on the local press.