Tourists in the Canary Islands have been warned to stay indoors as severe flooding sweeps through popular holiday destinations.
Heavy rainfall has battered the Spanish archipelago for several days, with Gran Canaria and Tenerife particularly affected.
Dramatic scenes have unfolded as muddy floodwaters surge through streets, sweeping cars away and trapping people.
The extreme weather has disrupted the islands’ carnival celebrations, forcing cancellations.
Cars were seen washed out to sea by the floods – before locals stepped in to clean up their streets
REUTERS
The town of Telde on the eastern side of Gran Canaria has been among the worst-hit areas, while footage from Radio Canaria showed cars being swept out to sea by muddy floodwaters.
People were seen helping drivers escape their vehicles as they struggled through the rising waters.
The torrents surged around fallen trees, violently rocking cars back and forth through the streets.
In Tenerife, at least 80 people were trapped in a supermarket after floodwaters prevented them from reaching their vehicles.
FLOODING BATTERS SPAIN AGAIN – READ MORE:
Footage from the aftermath of the flooding shows how some cars were swept off roads entirely
REUTERS
More images of the clean-up and recovery efforts following the devastating floods
REUTERS
High water levels made it impossible for shoppers to leave the building, with emergency services called in to pump water out of the flooded car park.
Local authorities issued a severe weather alert on Sunday, warning of rain, hail and even snow across the islands.
Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET released a “special warning” for heavy rains in the region.
The storms could continue to impact parts of the island chain until Wednesday, according to AEMET.
The storms and flooding have caused carnage in the Canary Islands – and could continue until Wednesday
REUTERS
The now-cancelled festivities are a major highlight in the Canary Islands’ cultural calendar but have been overshadowed by the extreme weather conditions.
Floods in Spain have become increasingly frequent and severe in recent years. Just last year, freak storms in Valencia killed more than 200 people and caused extensive damage.
Speaking to Spanish television outlets, the Mayor of one of the towns hit by last year’s floods, Sergio Marin Sanchez said: “We couldn’t have predicted anything like this was going to happen. It’s a major catastrophe.”
Critics pointed to a lack of warning and preparedness from regional and national governments as exacerbating factors.