holidays in Tenerife

2:42pm Tuesday 30th March 2010 in Holiday information

Holiday Islands Devastated by Floods

The Portuguese island of Madeira has been hit by some of the most devastating weather it has seen for over a century.

Situated 560 miles south of Portugal and 300 miles west of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean, the island was hit by torrential rain last Saturday leaving over 40 people feared dead and 120 more injured.

Raging waters cascaded down hillsides bringing mud and rocks with them, breaking river banks and overflowing storm drains, wreaking havoc all over the island.

It has long been a popular holiday destination for UK tourists with an estimated 2,000 of them on the island at the time. The airport is open again as normal and it is thought that hotels have survived relatively unscathed however the Foreign Office are urging tourists to check with their tour operators before travelling. Damage is reported to be worse in the south away from the main tourist resorts.

Storm drains simply couldn't cope with the amount of rain and quickly overflowed with sludge and mud according to eye witness reports. Environmentalists were quick to blame the authorities for dumping rubble and earth into riverbeds, overdeveloping land preventing water from draining naturally into the ground and allowing building work to progress in areas liable to flooding.

Portugal has sent over Army and Police personnel to help sift through the debris left behind after the tragic mudslides and torrential rain. It is feared the death toll will rise as rescuers reach remote villages and towns currently cut off from civilisation.

The rain has come just three weeks after the nearby Canary Islands were also hit by 'freak' rain storms. In early February people taking holidays in Tenerife were shocked as torrential rain hit the island causing flash flooding and mudslides.

Madeira is growing in popularity during the winter months, rivalling holidays in Tenerife, due to its usually sunny climate which attracts UK tourists back year after year.

Madeira is well known for its beautiful botanical gardens and unspoilt landscapes and is often known as the' floating garden'. The breathtaking scenery makes Madeira holidays popular with keen walkers and nature lovers alike. The government is working hard to get the island up and running again and the Prime Minister Jose Socrates has already sent military engineers in to start rebuilding damaged bridges.

Tourism is a huge source of income on the island and locals are having to come to terms with the devastation, destruction and loss of life in a week that should have seen the streets full of music and laughter as the annual Carnival Week took place.