Stranded by the sand
HOLIDAYMAKERS TRAPPED IN THE CANARIES Couple who fled Scots storms now suffering in huge Sahara dust bowl
A SCOTTISH couple who swapped Storm Dennis for sunshine were among thousands of holidaymakers trapped in a Sahara sandstorm yesterday.
Norma and John Wiggins, from Hamilton, fled howling wind and rain in Scotland last week to head for winter warmth on Tenerife.
But within days, the pair found themselves engulfed in a dust cloud – known as Calima – which left 14,000 Brits stranded at airports across Spain’s Canary Islands.
Norma and John were confined to their Playas de las Americas hotel and took pictures from their balcony
BY SALLY HIND s.hind@dailyrecord.co.uk as red sand from the Sahara desert moved in on Sunday. Norma said: “Once we were on board the plane, we said, ‘At least we’re heading to the sun.’ “Then we got this. We left one storm to come to another. It’s pretty nasty. It’s hard to breathe and people are going around with face masks. “On Sunday, it was so bad we had to go back to the apartment and wait it out. It was impossible to go out and went on all through the night. “The wind was unbelievable. There have been trees, signs and even walls blown down. Police were trying to keep people away from certain areas for their safety. It’s been really quite destructive.” Between 12,000 and 14,000 Britons are understood to have been stranded since Sunday, when Spain’s airport operator Aena cancelled, suspended or diverted all flights to and from the islands due to low visibility.
Flights from Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma and North Tenerife were beginning to resume yesterday but those departing South Tenerife saw further cancellations as the national weather service forecast winds of up to 75mph in the Canaries throughout the day.
The regional government has declared a state of alert with authorities in Lanzarote’s capital Arrecife cancelling outdoor activities, including some carnival celebrations.
The sandstorm was visible from space, with satellite images showing it engulfing the islands, off the coast of north-west Africa.
Norma, who is planning to stay in Tenerife for five weeks, said: “I think it’s supposed to be here for at least another day. We came out today but you can feel it in the air. “By this afternoon we will all be back in again because you can see it coming.”