Tristan da Cunha Storm News

Aftermath of the 7th July 2026 Storm

Report and photos from Administrator Philip Kendall

It was a relief that Tuesday and Wednesday's storm did not knock out Tristan's communications, and we have received the following report and photographs from Philip Kendall. The worst damage appears to have been confined mainly to the business part of the settlement, and thankfully there have been no casualties. However, Philip and his wife Louise were personally affected, as they had to evacuate the Residency after the 124mph (200km/h) gust recorded at 19:43 tore off part of the roof.

The scene in the Residency garden at daybreak, strewn with longboat debris. The longboat had been blown from the side of the road to the left in this picture, where they are all normally kept tied down.

Here are Philip's own words:

"Last night was the worst night of my life. The concerns for my own safety were by compounded by my concerns for Louise and of course overshadowed by my thoughts of the islanders. Louise and my departure from the Residency could not have been better timed, as within minutes, the front of the house was side swiped by a flying longboat which showered the lounge with glass where we had been sitting just moments earlier."

Another longboat straddles the Residency garden wall, but the Administrator's flag continues to defy the elements.

The Residency's front door and living room windows were broken by the flying longboat. The longboat was itself badly cracked with bits torn off.
The main Residency living room, drenched and scattered with broken window glass.

The smashed Residency door from the inside, and later temporary repairs.

"Our experience was nothing compared to the devastation caused to one family, who I will not name to protect their privacy at this time, who were in their house as it was destroyed around them. They were remarkably unharmed physically, but the mental scars will remain for a long time, I am sure. The debris from their house broke through the windows of the Albatross Bar allowing the hurricane force winds to wreak havoc inside."

Flying debris from one of the houses broke windows at the Albatross Bar and chaos (below) in the interior.
The broken windows have been temporarily boarded over.

"Today the island spirit came out in force, and we have been patching up buildings where possible, including the Residency, the Albatross bar and some storage sheds. Unfortunately, some buildings are unsalvageable, including the BioSecurity building, and a couple of the Communications offices. The BFBS receiver was also destroyed, so we have no TV, but the Starlink Antenna amazingly survived!"

The relatively new Bioesecurity Facility lost its roof, and its interior (below) was totally devastated.

Some of the Other Damaged Buildings and Repair Work

One of the PWD sheds lost a door and suffered damage to the roof.

Damage to a family storage hut.	Damage to the RIB boathouse.

Boarded up windows at the Residency.

Alongside previous repairs, the Residency roof is gradually acquiring a 'coat of many colours'.

Initial repair work has concentrated on making buildings watertight and a certain amount of salvage. It will take many months to fully tidy up the settlement, make good all the damage and/or procure replacements.

Damaging Storm hits Tristan, 7th July 2026

Reports from Philip Kendall and Kelly Green. Video & stills from Fouche Conradie

Winter well and truly arrived on Tristan on Tuesday 7th July 2026, with a damaging storm. High winds grew to hurricane force winds during the day, with gusts of over 100mph, and were expected to continue into Wednesday. The Weatherlink website, which displays data from the automatic weather station mounted on St Mary's School, recorded a peak gust of 124mph (200km/h) at 19:43.

This still from a video shot by Fouche Conradie show roofing sheets being ripped off by the storm.

Among the damage caused, several buildings have lost their roofs, and the Administrator has issued instructions for everyone to shelter in place until the storm has passed.

Communications with island remained good at least until mid afternoon, enabling the Admin to send us notification, and for Kelly Green to post the video below on TikTok, which was shot by Ovenstone engineer Fouche Conradie. The current state of communications is not known, although the weather station is still sending data.

	@tristandacunhakg♬ original sound - Kelly Green
Stills grabbed from Fouche Condrie's video (right), show roofing debris flying through the air (above) and a building stripped of cladding by the wind (below). Big Point is just visible in the background.

Tristan's location in the middle of the South Atlantic means that the island is no stranger to damaging storms. The last such storms, for instance, happened in July and November 2019.

We will post further reports as and when they come in. We all earnestly hope and pray that everyone stays safe and that the damage is manageable.

First Update on the February 2024 Flooding

Report and photos from Philip Kendall

Administrator Philip Kendall visited the areas affected by the flooding of Friday 2nd February 2024 again during the weekend, and has sent us this update.

More than ten houses were affected by the flooding, of which about 50% are uninhabitable, at least in the short to medium term. This fortunately is not as bad as in our initial report.

Drying out continues at a flooded island home.

Thankfully the weather has been kind to Tristan over weekend and since. The dry weather and sun is helping the affected families dry their possessions and air their houses.

Digger moving debris in Hottentot Gulch

Above: Debris above the road... and Below: Clearing the road in the region of Knockfolly Gulch

On Saturday the PWD Team were able to clear the road to the patches, so it is at least passable. In the longer term, part of the road may need to be moved further inland to avoid it slipping into the sea.

Shoring up the banks of the Big Watron and clearing it of rubble.

On the eastern side of the Settlement, work is ongoing to shore up the banks of the Big Watron and clear it of rubble.

Debris deposited between Dockel Gulch and the Big Watron.

This week Philip is trying to work out the financial cost, both to individuals and the island, and looking at preventative measures to stop this from happening again .

Sand at Runaway Beach washed away by the outflow of Wash Gulch. Photo: Nick Schönfield.

New Flash Floods and Landslides on Tristan
Heavy rain and landslides on the 2nd February 2024 caused flooding in many homes and blocked the road to the Patches. 3-Feb-2024
Full story >>

Heavy Rainstorm, 30th April 2021
Exceptionally heavy rain fed cascades in the cliffs behind village and caused flooding in the island store. 30-Apr-2021
Full story >>

Progress Report on Storm Damage at St Mary's School, March 2020
Photo report on the state of the school in January 2020, with an update on the situation in March. 19-Mar-2020
Full story >>

Drone Footage of the Damage Caused by the July 2019 Storm
Aerial footage shows even more clearly than still photographs the extent of the damage caused by the storm. 10-Mar-2020
Full story >>

Successful re-roofing after November 2019 Storm
'All Hands Day' achieves target as three key buildings repaired 6-Nov-2019
Full story >>

November 2019 Storm Photo Report
Communications restored as community again this year makes urgent storm repairs 5-Nov-2019
Full story >>