11 April 2024 , 09:34
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A tourist has died and at least 130 people have been evacuated after freak 12ft high waves battered a British holiday hotspot.
The person who died is understood to be a 53-year-old Czech tourist who drowned falling into the sea at the northern resort of Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife. Local reports claimed he was taking pictures by the sea edge when he was swept away. Horrified bystanders saw his body in the water and alerted emergency services. A helicopter crew were launched as part of a rescue bid, but tragically he could not be revived.
Police shared a video of the devastation in an April 10 post shared to X, formerly Twitter. In the 18-second clip, debris was seen strewn across the seafront and rushing waters had broken tiles. Authorities had warned of possible flooding in coastal areas due to stormy seas around the island in the Atlantic, a popular vacation destination for many Europeans.
Emergency service crews examined the extent of the damage (Police handout)Tenerife officials said people from some 60 houses were evacuated on Wednesday and added that some waves reached 16 feet in high in several areas. Four people from different countries died last month after falling into the sea during bad weather spells on the Spanish mainland.
Some of the waves reached as 16 feet in height (Police handout)The areas most affected on the island were El Rosario, Candelaria, Arafo Güímar and Arico, all on the east coast. Tenerife's most popular holiday resorts in the south managed to avoid damage. Emergency service crews were seen examining the extent of the damage as bystanders walked around the debris-filled streets.
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The directorate general of emergencies of the Canary Islands government issued a statement urging people to take precautions, especially when close to the sea. The warning was later lifted this morning. Weather experts said the combination of 56mph gusts combined with spring ties caused the sea to rush over beaches and roads close to the coast. The weather agency, Aemet said the island's capital of Santa Cruz is set to record the highest temperature in Spain today at around 33 degrees.