In brief
Lanzarote has declared a state of emergency following severe flooding caused by heavy rains over the weekend, with emergency services responding to hundreds of incidents.
A state of emergency was declared overnight in Lanzarote after torrential rains inundated the popular tourist destination. The downpour, which resulted in more than 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) of rain within two hours, left homes and roads submerged in floodwaters. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported as authorities worked tirelessly throughout the night. Enrique Espinosa, head of Lanzarote's emergency services, mentioned that they received around 300 calls for help, predominantly from areas like Arrecife and Teguise. The emergency response included over 150 interventions in Costa Teguise and more than 70 in Arrecife, with San Bartolomé noted as particularly affected.Dramatic videos shared on social media depict torrents of floodwater rushing under bridges and trapping vehicles on inundated roadways. The flooding is attributed to the island's dry climate and volcanic terrain, which prevents the ground from absorbing such large amounts of rain effectively. This sudden deluge follows the impact of Storm Olivier, which recently swept through the Canary Islands and parts of mainland Spain and Portugal, prompting weather warnings across many regions, including potential storms and high winds expected to continue through Tuesday.
