The Canary Islands, a sun-kissed archipelago off the coast of north Africa, is one of Europe’s most reliable winter sun destinations.
However, over the last few days, Gran Canaria (the third-largest island) has been battling the consequence of a storm cell, which has led to heavy rain and flooding in certain regions. While travelling here hasn’t been advised against, those with a trip booked might be wondering if it’s safe to travel to Gran Canaria. Here’s what you need to know.
Is it safe to travel to the Canary Islands?
Yes, although you might not get the weather you’re hoping for. Since the weekend, heavy rain and floods have hit Gran Canaria, which is currently under a red weather alert. Many of the other Canary Islands, including Tenerife, are also under a yellow rain risk warning, and the Santa Cruz Carnival suspended performances on Monday March 3, though sets in the evening went ahead as originally planned.
No serious injuries have been reported, and advice to avoid travelling to the Canaries has not been published.
Where are the floods in the Canary Islands?
The floods are concentrated in southern, eastern and western areas of Gran Canaria, caused by a storm cell on Monday afternoon, during which 30mm of rain fell in just one hour.
In the town of Telde, videos show a car being swept away down the streets as floodwaters rose quickly. Thankfully, no serious injuries have been reported. Locals in Telde have teamed up with emergency services to clean up the streets, which remain coated in mud.
Are there more floods on the way?
Aemet, Spain’s meteorological office, has had a ‘special warning’ in place for the Canary Islands, which warns of heavy or very heavy rain. This is alongside a yellow rain risk warning which, according to the Independent, covers La Gomera, El Hierro, north Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and parts of La Palma.
Have flights been cancelled?
Flights to and from Gran Canaria experienced some delays on the afternoon of Monday March 3, but since then have been running smoothly. The same goes for flights at Tenerife Airport.
What is the UK Foreign Office saying?
The FCDO have not acknowledged the floods on their travel advice page for Spain, but a statement by the Canary Islands government from the weekend reads: ‘The Canary Islands Government is carrying out this extraordinary monitoring of the weather situation due to the coincidence of the Carnival festivities, with events on the different islands that will bring together a large number of people on the public roads, both during the day and at night, although the forecasts do not include storms or wind in the coming days, only moderate rain that could be locally heavy on the islands of greater relief.’
What are your rights if you’ve booked a trip to Gran Canaria?
As the FCDO has not advised against travelling to Gran Canaria, you won’t automatically be eligible for a no-penalty refund. Instead, it’s best to contact your travel provider directly to see what can be done about cancelling or rescheduling your trip if you no longer want to travel.
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