Storm Therese, described as the 'storm of the century' for the Canary Islands, has left British tourists stranded and airports in chaos as gale-force winds, heavy rain, and flooding batter the archipelago. The storm pummelled the holiday hotspot for five consecutive days, with winds reaching 70mph, forcing holidaymakers to flee for safety. Warnings remain in place for Gran Canaria and Tenerife, with authorities urging only essential travel as dangerous conditions are predicted to return.
Dramatic footage captured a busload of tourists, including Brits, trapped in floodwaters in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. Passengers screamed for help as water rose inside a tunnel, with some escaping through the sunroof. Firefighters rescued two women by lowering a ladder from a bridge above. All occupants were unharmed. The incident occurred around 9pm Monday, coinciding with an emergency weather alert sent to local mobile phones.
The storm has dumped over 700 litres of rain on Gran Canaria's peaks, causing rivers to burst their banks and widespread street-level flooding. Areas including San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Santa Lucía, Mogán, and Telde have been severely affected. Mobile phone coverage has been intermittent due to lightning strikes and low clouds, while rescue teams focus on maintaining electricity supply amid water seepage threatening pylons, risking prolonged outages and landslides.
In La Palma, record hail hit high ground near the Roque de los Muchachos volcano, with rainfall reaching 118 litres. The extreme weather has affected four of the seven main islands, with the Arguineguín ravine in Gran Canaria particularly hard-hit, leaving dozens isolated. Authorities warn that annual rainfall totals have already been exceeded in some areas, with more severe weather expected.
