Lanzarote travel warning amid 'Armageddon' flash floods

2025-04-17 HaiPress

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A travel warning for people visiting Lanzarote has been issued by the UK Government as wild weather and flooding sweeps the region.

The notice says several hotels on the popular Canary Islands destination have no power,while some roads are covered in mud.

Among the places most affected by the heavy rainfall are Costa Teguise,San Bartolomé,and Arrecife.

The warning tells visitors: ‘If you are in Lanzarote or travelling to Lanzarote,follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor local weather updates.’

A British tourist who battled to get back to his hotel during the flooding on the island described it as feeling like ‘Armageddon’.

Mike Hallet,53,and his wife had been on a day trip to the southern tip of Lanzarote,which he says was unaffected by the two-hour deluge that hit parts further north Saturday afternoon.

Brown water gushes down a street on the island (Picture: X)

But as they drove towards Costa Teguise,where the couple is staying,they were shocked to find ‘total carnage’,with ‘roads blocked everywhere’.

Mike,from Bridlington in Yorkshire,told Metro: ‘The motorways were flooded,water was coming off embankments like full blown waterfalls.

‘It was proper full on. I’ve never seen water like it. I’m amazed no one was killed.

‘It felt like Armageddon.’

A map shows the worst affected towns in Lanzarote after flooding (Picture: Metro)

They finally managed to get back to their all-inclusive hotel,El Trébol,which they booked through TUI,to find it flooded and with no running water.

Their room was thankfully dry so they were able to sleep there overnight,but there is no running water at all at the complex.

Mike said it’s been a chaotic few hours: ‘The fire brigade were at the hotel all night pumping water out.

The flooded pool at El Trébol in Costa Teguise where Mike Hallett and his wife are staying (Picture: Mike Hallett)

‘The kitchens were being cleared of mud yesterday so they could make food.

‘Guests have been filling the room bins from the overflowing swimming pool to get water to flush the toilets.’

The couple,who arrived on April 10 and fly home on Thursday,were told they would be moved to another hotel,but this afternoon learnt there were no available rooms,due in part because other hotels were also affected.

A message posted on the hotel’s Facebook page said guests would have to remain at least another night and will need to buy their own food elsewhere,which will later be reimbursed by TUI. Bottled drinking water would be provided,they added.

A flooded street in Costa Teguise (Picture: Mike Hallett)

60 litres of water reportedly fell per square metre in just two hours (Picture: Megan Graham)

The hotel wrote that guests were free to find their own accommodation or take an earlier flight home and the costs for this would also be reimbursed.

Mike said he and his wife hope to find another hotel.

The couple weren’t the only ones upset by the actions of TUI,as a mother travelling with her autistic daughter on a family holiday to Lanzarote told Metro their treatment was ‘abysmal’.

Tracy flew from Exter near her home in the West Country early on Sunday morning only to be told via email by TUI on landing that flooding meant that their accommodation was no longer available. 

The family was then bussed to another resort where there was insufficient accommodation for them. As well as an autism diagnosis her daughter,15,is certified deaf and blind. 

Ms Cook told Metro: ‘No holiday rep came with us we were just dumped at a hotel.

‘My daughter is autistic and has complex needs so it was very stressful. We need to keep medicine chilled and very organised.’

She said that the family had not seen the news about flooding in Lanzarote on Saturday and were disappointed the holiday company had not taken swifter action. 

She added: ‘We arrived around 10 in the morning and there was another flight arriving after that. There were loads of people whose hotels couldn’t take them. Many had young children it was very chaotic.’

After spending Sunday in a hotel room miles from where they had booked the family were told  they could take a flight in the evening but to Cardiff. 

Ms Cooke added: ‘It was a shambles really it was abysmal,we were shoved from pillar to post.

‘The flight crew were on the way home were lovely though and hotel staff did put the medication in a fridge. The nightmare though is now trying to get our money back which TUI are not making easy.

‘The lack of information all along has been the main thing. They did provide us with a can from cardiff back to Exeter but our long awaited family break has been ruined.’

Footage of the flooding,which was shared on X,shows swathes of brown water gushing down streets and rivers overflowing.

Cars can be seen abandoned in deep water and huge swathes of land submerged.

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There have been no reports of casualties.

Officials on the island,which is very popular with British tourists,have declared a state of emergency.

Some areas reportedly saw around 60 litres of water per square metre fall in just two hours.

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This is more than a month’s worth of the average rainfall in the UK.

In Arrecife residents reported a strong smell of sewage as the island’s drainage system was overwhelmed.

Megan Graham,the owner of an Irish bar in Costa Teguise called The New Mill described the flooding as ‘biblical’ and said it had ‘rocked the community to the core’.

Megan says both her business and her home escaped any major damage but the homes of two of her staff members have been badly affected.

Cars submerged in flood water on Lanzarote (Picture: X)

‘One of them got home to find their basement and first floor destroyed and another found her roof had caved in,’ she told Metro.

‘One of them was supposed to be selling their place this week – that’s obviously not going to be happening!

‘They’re understandably both very upset.’

Lanzarote is flooding — can you get a refund on your holiday?

If you’ve taken out your travel insurance and you’re now looking at the flooding and thinking you might give your holiday a miss – you may be entitled to some money back.Flooding should be included under the natural disasters coverage (although it varies between insurers so check your policy) but this comes with a major catch.You can read more about this from our Lifestyle Reporter Alice Giddings here.She said she and her neighbours were holed up inside their complex surrounded by water,with ‘what looked like waves hitting against the walls’.Megan,who comes from Ireland,was able to open her bar on Sunday to serve Sunday lunch and is reaching out to anyone who needs help and support,‘even if it’s just a cup of tea’.Damage caused by the flooding (Picture: Megan Graham)She added: ‘I just can’t get over it. I’m just so shocked by it. But we’re there,we’re just reaching out to people and telling people whatever we can do,just come to us and let us know.’She said there was ‘little warning’ of how extreme the weather was going to be in advance.People on the island were advised on the weekend to avoid all unnecessary travel and take precautions if they do go out.Meanwhile,holidaymakers planning to visit in the next few days should check their flights and accommodation,and potentially seek alternatives.It is not clear how long the island will take to recover from the floodwater which has caused damage to roads and buildings.Rain pelts down on cars driving through flooded Lanzarote (Picture: EPA)The deluge on Saturday came after heavy rain earlier in the week as Storm Olivier hit the island.A number of flights in and out of Lanzarote airport were cancelled or diverted as a result.In the UK,the weather this week coming will be relatively dry,but those hoping for a repeat of yesterday – especially over the Easter break – may be a little disappointed.Temperatures will fall as low as 14C on Wednesday in the south,though by the Good Friday they should creep up to around 17C.Further up north it’s set to be a couple of degrees cooler,averaging 14/15C.TUI has been contacted for comment.
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