LOCALS and tourists visiting the normally sun-drenched Canary Islands for the Easter holidays have been forced to take precautions after the popular archipelago was engulfed by a powerful ‘calima’ dust wave sweeping in from the Sahara Desert.
The 800-mile wide sandy band – exceeding the length of the United Kingdom from top to bottom – made landfall early on Wednesday, casting an eerie dark orange hue across the island’s skies over the past 24 hours.
The entire archipelago remains under a yellow alert, with state agency Aemet warning of reduced visibility, especially at altitude.
But the dense haze is forecast to ease in intensity from Wednesday afternoon as the fabled weather phenomenon is driven further west by a low pressure weather system lingering over the north African coast.
Health experts are still advising people with respiratory diseases to take precautions, such as wearing masks when outside or avoiding leaving home.
Residents are also urged to keep windows and doors closed to prevent the dust seeping inside, and to avoid intense exercise outdoors.
Drivers hitting the road should reduce speed and use headlights in areas of poor visibility – particularly on mountain roads.
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