Arenas and Río Gallegos. Due to low population density, damage was limited. Climate The region has a subpolar oceanic climate and a mild tundra climate (Köppen climate classification Cfc and ET) with short, cool summers with a mean at around and long, cool and wet winters with a mean at around . The northeast is characterized by strong winds and little precipitation, while in the south and west it is very windy, foggy, and wet most of the year, with precipitation levels averaging a year. The permanent snow line begins at . Places in the world with comparable climates are the Aleutian Islands, Iceland, Kuril Islands, Campbell Island, the Kerguelen Islands, the Scottish Highlands, and coastal areas of Norway. In August 1995 the island was hit by an event of intense winds, cold and snowfall known as the White Earthquake. This caused the ferry service across Primera Angostura to be suspended, as well as the international road to Río Gallegos to be closed. In Timaukel alone the mayor reported that 150 thousand sheep and 6,500 heads of cattle were threatened by the event. Flora Only 30% of the islands have forests, which are classified as Magellanic subpolar; the northeast is made up by steppe and cool semidesert. There are six species of tree found in Tierra del Fuego: Canelo or Winter's Bark (Drimys winteri), Maytenus magellanica, Pilgerodendron uviferum the southernmost conifer in the world, and three kinds of southern beech; Nothofagus antarctica, Nothofagus pumilio and the evergreen Nothofagus betuloides. Edible fruits grow in open spaces in these forests, such as beach strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis var. chiloensis forma chiloensis) and calafate (Berberis buxifolia), which have been collected by Indians and residents alike. These forests are unique in the world for having developed in a climate with such cold summers. Tree cover extends very close to the southernmost tip of South America. Winds are so strong that trees in wind-exposed areas grow twisted by the force of winds, and people call the trees "flag-trees" for the shape that they need to take in the fight with the wind. Tree vegetation extends as far south as the Isla de los Estados, Navarino Island and the north of Hoste Island. At altitudes above, dwarf nothofagus communities are found. Going further south, Wollaston Islands and the south of Hoste Island are covered by subantarctic tundra. The forests of Tierra del Fuego have been a source