Canary Islands plunged into chaos as urgent weather warning will 'ruin holidays'

The Canary Islands have been plunged into alert with an urgent weather warning that could impact locals and holidaymakers.

The pre-alert status, issued by the country’s General Directorate of Emergencies, is due to strong winds and dangerous sea conditions along the coast.

It took effect from 7am local time on Thursday. This is part of the Specific Emergency Plan for Adverse Meteorological Phenomena and was triggered by the latest forecasts and warnings from the Spanish Met Office.

The Canaries are expected to see winds of between 29 and 49 kmpm, with some gusts reaching up to 61 kmph.

This will cause some rough seas, with high waves in open waters and the north and western coasts of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura may see waves as high as four metres.

The government is urging residents and visitors to take precautions and follow its public awareness campaign, "Don't Take Risks at Sea", aimed at promoting respect for the power of the ocean to reduce drownings.

Authorities urge people to “postpone any nautical or sporting activities and avoid swimming in remote or unmonitored beaches”.

The public is advised to stay away from piers and areas where they could be hit or swept away by waves.

Red flag beaches are “strictly off-limits for swimming” and instructions from lifeguards and emergency personnel must be followed.

Meteoblue says “moderate damage to people and properties may occur”, especially to those in “exposed areas”.

It comes just days after an earthquake, the biggest in 60 years, hit Gran Canaria on Tuesday (September 10).

The island was rumbled by the tremor at 7.20pm, measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale. It was felt in 14 of the island’s 21 municipalities.