The Canary Islands in Spain have been hit by torrential rains and flooding as Storm Therese, dubbed the worst storm in a decade, hits the region.
A state of emergency has been declared across the archipelago and the military has been deployed to help with the ensuing chaos caused by the potentially life-threatening weather.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of full neighbourhoods including Los Perez and El Hornillo in Agaete after fears that a nearby reservoir could burst, according to El Pais.
“We are facing historic circumstances in terms of the volume of rainfall and its impact on the island territory,” the president of the Island Council, Antonio Morales said at a press conference on Tuesday.
The rains have left more than 700 litres of water per square metre of the island across six days, according to local reports, leading to an unprecedented deployment of emergency personnel and resources including the Military Emergency Unit.
Over 14 million cubic metres of water are reported to have been dumped in Gran Canaria’s reservoirs. Winds of up to 100kph are expected.
A rare red alert for emergency weather was sent to mobile phones with warnings that the weather could pose a threat to life on Wednesday.
Footage circulating on social media appears to show British tourists pleading for help from the roof of a minibus. Tourists and holidaymakers have been warned to stay inside their hotels.
Emergency services have recorded approximately 300 incidents throughout the day on the main island of Gran Canaria on Tuesday, while over 1,500 were reported across the total of seven islands that make up the island cluster.
Technical director of emergency services for the island council, Federico Grillo, insisted that “no one anywhere on the planet could have foreseen something like this”.
President of the island council, Rosa Dávila, said that a phenomenon of this magnitude has not been seen for more than 13 years.
Reports of damage including the collapse of a hotel roof and the collapse of several roads.
La Gomera, El Hierro, and Tenerife all have a yellow alert issued for Wednesday while an orange alert for rainfall was issued in La Palma by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET).
An elderly man had to be rescued from a difficult to reach area in Barranco Hando after he found himself stranded in his home amid the flooding. He received medical treatment after showing signs of distress, according to local media.
Dozens of flights have been cancelled or diverted with all planes flying from London, Manchester and Newcastle in the UK diverted away from the region after 73 mph winds hit the region on Monday night.
University classes at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and La Laguna have been cancelled through Tuesday and Wednesday.
Last week, the islands were hit by snow and severe winds.
