Canary Islands hit by calima, disrupting flights and causing delays

The Canary Islands have been covered by a thick layer of dust (calima) this Monday.

Lanzarote has been hit particularly hard, with César Manrique Airport affected by flight diversions and delays. 

The situation is also being accompanied by a significant temperature rise. The temperature had reached 24°C before 8:00 AM, and already surpassed 30°C, especially in the inland areas around midday.

In terms of airports, flights from Gran Canaria and Tenerife Norte have been impacted. Flights from Birmingham, Manchester, and East Midlands, which departed from the UK early in the day, have also been affected.

As for the recommendations, the focus is on staying hydrated, avoiding sun exposure as much as possible, and keeping emergency numbers (112 and 012) handy.

The calima is likely to persist until Tuesday, while the higher-than-usual temperatures are expected to last until Thursday. Flights from the UK are mostly being diverted to Fuerteventura Airport. Planes that took off from the main Canary Islands airports have returned to Gando and Los Rodeos airports.