This is the horror moment a popular holiday hotspot with British tourists was flooded by heavy rain during a devastating two-hour deluge. On Saturday, a state of emergency was declared by local officials in Lanzarote after torrential rain saw homes and cars swamped by floodwater. Cars were left abandoned in the streets after roads were turned into deep and dangerous flowing rivers. The incredible footage also showed carparks flooded and large swathes of the land submerged under brown murky water. Locals also complained of a horrific sewage smell in the area.
The storm suddenly broke out on Saturday afternoon and the ground became waterlogged, which meant the water could not be soaked up. Residents in Arrecife, on the island’s south coast, were hit by the smell of raw sewage after flooding also affected the drainage system. It is unclear how long it will take to fix, according to authorities. A staggering 60 litres of water fell per square metre in the brief period in the some of the heavy rain spots – which is more than a month’s worth of the average rainfall in the UK.
The Canary Islands government has declared a pre-alert for rain in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventure until 7am on Sunday morning. The public were urged to avoid all unnecessary travel.
Furthermore, the towns of Guatiza, Tahiche, Costa Teguise and Nazaret were all badly hit by the floodwater as rivers burst their banks after being overwhelmed by the deluge. The Lagomar River, which flows through Nazaret, became so flooded it spilled over onto the surrounding land. Water levels continued to rise and moved through channels towards the sea.
The huge downpour comes just days after Storm Oliver passed over Lanzarote, prompting several flights to the popular British hotspot to be cancelled or diverted on Thursday.
This was due to dangerous flying conditions. Two flights from Gatwick, two from Manchester, two from Bristol and one each from Dublin, Birmingham, Bournemouth and Stansted were all diverted.
The island, which is popular for many Brits, faces a state of emergency, and holidaymakers are being urged to postpone their travel, or seek alternative accomodations and flights.
With the Easter break underway for many families, local authorities confirmed they are working to ensure the safety of residents and visitors already on the island.
However, it is unclear how long the island will take to recover from the floodwater which has badly damaged roads, homes and travel to and from the holiday hotspot.
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