THE Canary Islands were plunged into chaos after Storm Therese battered the holiday hotspot with torrential rain, 120km/h winds, and heavy snow.
Described by meteorologists as the worst weather event to hit the archipelago in more than a decade, the severe conditions left thousands of British tourists and expats stranded.
While the worst of the storm has now passed and conditions have since improved across the islands, the damage left in its wake is staggering.
Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) had placed the islands under a severe orange weather alert during the storm, warning that some areas could receive more than a year’s worth of rain in just a matter of days.
The extreme weather caused widespread travel disruption on Wednesday and Thursday, with at least 43 flights cancelled or diverted.
In Tenerife, stunned tourists woke up to see Mount Teide totally caked in snow, completely transforming the usually sun-soaked island into a wintry landscape at altitudes above 1,800 metres.
Authorities immediately activated the island’s emergency plan, shutting roads, banning hiking routes and closing the Teide National Park.
Schools, nurseries and day care centres across the islands were forced to shut their doors, with services for elderly residents suspended as a precaution.
Tenerife’s president, Rosa Dávila, urged ‘maximum caution’ from residents and tourists.
“Over 1,000 emergency personnel are working in a coordinated effort to guarantee safety,” Dávila confirmed online, warning at the time that the intense rains battering the south of the island were spreading rapidly.
The coastal impact was devastating during the storm, with towering six-metre waves smashing into the seafront avenue in the Tenerife town of Garachico, according to footage from RTVC broadcaster.
In Gran Canaria, terrifying dawn footage showed the Barranco de ArguineguÃn ravine violently overflowing, leaving entire communities cut off and isolated.
Huge swells also battered the famous Las Canteras beach in Las Palmas during the storm, prompting urgent warnings for people to stay away from the coast.
Yet, despite the severe danger, some tourists continued to risk their lives for photos.
Thrill-seekers got dangerously close to the swelling seas during the worst of the weather, being branded ‘idiots of the day from Lanzarote’ on social media.
It comes just weeks after a group of selfie-taking tourists narrowly cheated death after being hit by a monster wave while standing on rocks at the Faro de Sardina del Norte in Gran Canaria.
While conditions are now easing heading into the weekend, forecasters warned that significant disruption would continue, with further rain and five-metre waves still a risk.
Residents and tourists were strongly urged to avoid all unnecessary travel and stay well clear of coastal and mountainous areas until the aftermath of the storm is fully cleared.
Click here to read more Weather News from The Olive Press.
