Hotels on Sal Island, Cape Verde's primary tourist destination, are being affected by heavy sea swells and flooding caused by rising tides during the passage of Tropical Storm Gonzalo, Lusa news agency reported on Friday, 25 October.
"We are in a situation that is different [from the other islands] in terms of maritime activity — a scenario that has practically never been experienced here. The hotels are suffering because of this storm," said Hidércio Gomes, the Civil Protection councillor for Sal.
According to the official, the avenue where the island's main hotels are concentrated has been flooded due to the rising tide, a situation affecting several areas of the city of Santa Maria.
"We are witnessing a worrying situation here in the Calçadão area, on Santa Maria beach, with some damage caused by the heavy sea swell, with large waves and wind gusts," he added.
Civil Protection authorities mobilised several teams to monitor the evolving situation and intervene in affected areas. Firefighters, the National Police, and Municipal Police are deployed on the ground, primarily in the city of Santa Maria.
In addition to the flooding, fallen trees, damage to street lighting poles, and damage to construction fencing were recorded, according to the Civil Protection official.
A video circulated on social media and confirmed to Lusa by a local resident shows a clinic surrounded by water on one of Santa Maria's main avenues. Civil Protection teams remain stationed at various points across the island as they await an easing of the sea swell and continue monitoring meteorological conditions.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo formed in the early hours of Friday from a depression in the Atlantic Ocean, between Cape Verde and Senegal, according to information from the United States National Hurricane Center. Forecasts point to an intensification of the storm before a weakening phase over the weekend, with Cape Verdean authorities remaining on alert for possible further impacts.
Cape Verde is an arid-climate archipelago but is subject to periods of intense and sudden storms and rainfall. In August 2025, Storm Erin killed nine people on the island of São Vicente, while in November of the same year, sudden rainfall claimed one life on the island of Santiago.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a United Nations agency, 2025 was the third hottest year on record, in a context where ocean warming is contributing to the intensification of storms and rising sea levels.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/26/mundo/africa/cabo-verde-tempestade-gonzalo-provoca-inundacoes-e-afecta-hoteis-na-ilha-do-sal/
