Lanzarote Floods Costa Teguise: On Saturday, a wave of heavy rain rushed across the Canary Islands, flooding hundreds of homes and roadways in Lanzarote. Learn more about floods in Lanzarote.
Lanzarote, a popular vacation destination in Spain, has experienced severe flash floods and excessive rain. With vehicles being washed away and a state of emergency declared, the strong storm has caused widespread concern. The rushing flood water was seen pouring into the streets in a dramatic video.
The popular vacation spot received 6cm (2.4 inches) of rain in just two hours, prompting the government of Lanzarote to declare a state of emergency overnight.
The state of emergency was cancelled on Sunday morning, and Spanish authorities have not recorded any injuries.
A “great quantity of mud” was left behind by floodwaters, and the chief of Lanzarote’s emergency services informed local media that some homes had been inundated.
“We have been working all night, attending 300 calls overnight, many of them in Arrecife and Teguise,” Enrique Espinosa said on Sunday.
According to local media, emergency personnel responded to more than 70 occurrences in Arrecife and more than 150 in Costa Teguise.
The administration of Lanzarote said the region of San Bartolomé was severely affected. A massive wave of floodwater is shown swiftly streaming beneath a bridge in a dramatic video that has gone viral on social media, trapping vehicles on flooded roads.
The Canaries’ arid environment and volcanic geology make it difficult for the ground to absorb huge amounts of water, making them especially susceptible to flooding during periods of heavy precipitation.
Storm Olivier, which stormed across the Canaries, mainland Spain, and Portugal in recent days and prompted multiple weather alarms, was the cause of the deluge.
Weather warnings have been issued by Spain’s meteorological office for a number of regions from Sunday to Tuesday. These include wind in portions of the north and south coast, rain in the Balearic Islands, and storms in the northeast.
On Saturday afternoon, a torrent of rain fell on the island. Due to defective drainage systems, inhabitants are overwhelmed by the stench of raw sewage, and flights have been cancelled.
President of the Lanzarote Island Council, Oswaldo Betancort, said: “We were surprised by sudden rainfall, which, mainly in Costa Teguise and Arrecife, caused hours of chaos and uncertainty, given the high water level in ravines and streets in both municipalities.”
The officials acknowledged that the severe weather was unexpected.
President of the Security and Emergency Consortium, Francisco J. Aparicio, said: “As we were only in a pre-alert situation, the intense rain caught us off guard , although we acted quickly to safeguard, above all, the lives of those affected.”