In brief
Tenerife experienced a catastrophic tidal surge leading to the deaths of three people and injuries to 15. Authorities have warned locals and tourists to stay away from coastal areas as rescue operations continue amid worsening sea conditions. Eyewitness accounts highlight the chaos as onlookers attempted to take photos rather than heed warnings about the dangers of the waves.
Three people died and 15 more were injured after powerful waves battered popular Spanish holiday island Tenerife.
A woman died after being pulled into the ocean near the Puerto de la Cruz resort and a man died at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, emergency services reported on Sunday.
A third man was found dead in the ocean near a beach in Granadilla.
Emergency services have advised the public to avoid coastal paths and to refrain from taking pictures and videos of the rough seas as the turbulent weather persists.
Rescue services mentioned they airlifted a man who fell into water at La Guancha in the north of the island, but he was pronounced dead later at hospital.
Another man died after being found floating near a beach at El Cabezo in the south, with lifeguards and medical staff unable to resuscitate him.
In Puerto de la Cruz, holiday resort in northern Tenerife, a woman succumbed to a heart attack while another 10 were swept out to sea; three of them sustained serious injuries.
A local waiter, known as Pedro, described his efforts to save those in distress, jumping into the water to rescue three individuals while tragically losing another.
Onlooker Carlos warned the public to move away from the waves, expressing frustration that many did not heed his warning.
Officials have placed the Canary Islands on alert for coastal hazards, predicting that sea conditions may worsen with waves expected to reach between two to four meters. Locals and visitors are urged to exercise extreme caution during this turbulent time.
