Sunday, May 13, 2007
Warm weather brings new waves from Africa
Temperatures have abated somewhat in Tenerife today, as forecast, but the Canary Islands have been suffocating in the heat brought by a Sirocco, with temperatures reaching almost 40 degrees centigrade in some parts of the islands, over the last few days. It was sudden, surprise August weather that arrived in May. The oppressive Saharan dust and sand laden wind brought with it too a new wave of Africa immigrants taking advantage of the conditions to seek a better life.
Three cayucos had reached Tenerife in 24 hours on Friday, amongst 10 boats to reach the Canary Islands, carrying a total of 343 people, some of whom were minors. Another two boats have arrived in Tenerife, so far over this weekend, with the count reaching 402 people in two days, with other boats landing in Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and, one boat carrying 60 immigrants, as far west as the island of El Hierro.
This is the biggest wave so far this year and well below the figures that saw more than 30,000 immigrants intercepted while sailing to the Canaries last year.
But while these desperate immigrants are battling for their lives on the open sea, with elections coming up, the politicos, of course, are engaging in a battle of words. The current party in power in the Canarian Government call it an "invasion", while the socialist candidate for the presidency, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, criticizes the "alarmism" and declared that "they talk a lot and don't work" towards better cooperation with Africa to bring the situation under control.
