Heavy rain slams Spain’s Canary Islands; 1 dead on mainland

September 26, 2022 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Heavy rain caused by a tropical storm hit several regions in Spain, leaving one person dead and widespread damage, authorities and national media said Monday.

A 62-year-old man was found dead in the southeastern Murcia region after a sudden downpour flooded his house late Sunday, local authorities said.

The Canary Islands off northwest Africa have endured three days of heavy rain, making it the wettest September on record there, the Spanish weather agency AEMET said Monday. Schools in the Atlantic Ocean archipelago were closed as a precaution, while airports canceled over 600 flights over the weekend.

Tropical Storm Hermine was blamed for dumping the huge amounts of rain.

Schools and airports in the Canary Islands are expected to return to normal on Tuesday, when the worst part of the storm moves away.