Praia, Sept. 25, 2026 (Lusa) - The councillor responsible for civil protection on Sal, Cabo Verde's most popular tourist island, said on Friday that hotels «are experiencing challenges» from «severe» rough seas and flooding caused by the rising tide during Tropical Storm Gonzalo.
«We are in a different situation [from the other islands] as regards rough seas, a scenario that we have practically never experienced here before. The hotels here are feeling the impact of this storm,» said Hidércio Gomes, speaking to journalists, in reference to the urban flooding in Santa Maria.
According to him, the avenue linking the main hotels is flooded as the tide rises as the storm passes, affecting various parts of the city.
«We are witnessing a challenging situation here in the Calçadão area, on Santa Maria beach, with some damage caused by the heavy sea swell, high waves and gusts of wind,» he said.
Several civil protection teams (fire brigade, National Police and Municipal Police) are on the ground, with the greatest concentration in Santa Maria, to monitor the situation and take action.
In addition to flooding, fallen trees, damage to lampposts and construction site hoardings have been reported, the official said.
A video posted on social media and confirmed to Lusa by a resident shows a clinic surrounded by water on one of Santa Maria's avenues.
Civil protection services are maintaining teams at various points across the island whilst awaiting a lull in the rough seas and monitoring how weather conditions develop.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo formed in the early hours of this morning from a low-pressure system in the Atlantic, between Cabo Verde and Senegal, according to information provided by the US National Hurricane Centre.
Forecasts indicate that the storm will intensify before weakening over the weekend.
Cabo Verde is an archipelago with an arid climate, but it experiences periods of storms and sudden, heavy downpours.
On 1 August 2025, Storm Erin claimed nine lives on the island of São Vicente, and in November, sudden downpours caused one fatality on the island of Santiago.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), a United Nations agency, 2025 is set to be the third-warmest year on record, against a backdrop of warming oceans that are contributing to more intense storms and rising sea levels.
RS/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
