Canary Islands engulfed by Saharan sandstorms
canary-islands-sandstorm(Courtesy photo)
A vast sandstorm from the Sahara has shrouded Spain’s Canary Islands, disrupting travel plans for tourists flying in and out.
Spain’s airport operator Aena cancelled, suspended or diverted all flights to and from the islands on Sunday, citing low visibility.
But on Sunday night, Aena said operations had resumed at all airports, except Tenerife South.
A state of alert was issued by the regional government on Saturday, with residents advised to stay indoors, close their windows and avoid travel.
Spain’s national weather service said winds of up to 120km/h (75mph) could buffet the Canaries until Monday.
It is strong winds that have blasted the islands with a dense cloud of sand from the Saharan desert, some 500km (300 miles) across the Atlantic Ocean.
The Canary Islands, which include Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and La Palma, are popular with European tourists in search of winter sun.
