Lanzarote, a popular winter and spring getaway for Irish sunseekers, has experienced a challenging 48 hours due to severe rainstorms and flooding.
The Canary Islands have been hit hard by torrential rain, leading to a state of emergency being declared in some regions as rivers overflowed their banks and towns were hit by flash floods. A clean-up operation is currently underway in parts of Lanzarote, with hopes that the worst of the rains have passed.
However, the forecast for much of southern Europe for the remainder of the week predicts unsettled, cool conditions.
Numerous videos shared on social media depict cars stranded and submerged underwater on Lanzarote's streets following two hours of rainfall yesterday. Brown water can be seen rushing down roads and covering large areas of the popular Canary Island, which attracts thousands of Irish visitors annually.
The rain began early in the afternoon and was so intense that the ground couldn't absorb it quickly enough, resulting in rising water levels that flowed towards the sea, reports Cork Beo.
The city of Arrecife on the island's south coast was particularly affected by the harsh weather, along with the towns of Tahice, Costa Teguise, Guatiza, and Nazaret.
The flooding caused by the heavy rainfall resulted in an unbearable stench of raw sewage as the drainage system was overwhelmed. In some areas, riverbanks burst due to the sheer volume of water they were unable to contain.
For instance, the Lagomar River that runs through Nazaret overflowed into nearby regions. The worst-hit areas experienced around 60 litres of water per square metre falling within a two-hour period, which is more than the average monthly rainfall in Ireland.
However, not all parts of the island were affected by the adverse weather conditions. Some tourists and locals found respite as their areas managed to escape the severe flooding.
Despite this, the Lanzarote Security Consortium had to activate the island's Emergency Plan due to the intensity of the floods in other regions.
This plan was expected to remain in effect until at least 7am today. Officials are currently evaluating the extent of the damage, with further updates anticipated later in the day.
Authorities are advising the public to exercise extreme caution and refrain from any non-essential travel. These floods follow hot on the heels of Storm Oliver, which battered the Canary Islands, including Lanzarote, earlier this week.
The torrential rain led to several flight cancellations and diversions on Thursday due to unsafe flying conditions. Manchester, Gatwick, and Bristol airports each had two flights rerouted, while Cardiff, Stansted, Birmingham, Dublin, and Bournemouth all had at least one flight to Lanzarote cancelled.
The Canary Islands have had a tough start to 2025 - just last month, Gran Canaria was hit by severe floods. Vehicles were swept away as holidaymakers were advised to stay indoors due to safety concerns.
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