Sandstorm forces closure of airports on Spain's Canary IslandsCars drive on the TF-1 highway during a sandstorm in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, on February 23, 2020; airports on Spain's Canary Islands were closed after strong winds carrying red sand from the Sahara shrouded the tourist hotspotMADRID - Airports on Spain's Canary Islands were closed again Sunday after a sandstorm hit the archipelago, airport authorities said. In a tweet, Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos thanked these countries for their "solidarity" and said air transport professionals "do not remember such adverse weather for air transport in the Canary Islands." Spain's national weather service warned that winds of up to 120 kilometres (75 miles) were set to buffet the Canaries until Monday. Located off the coast of Morocco, the Canary Islands are a popular tourist destination for northern Europeans seeking winter sunshine. The archipelago received 13.1 million foreign visitors last year, according to national statistics institute INE figures, making it Spain's third most visited region.

Source: Bangkok Post February 23, 2020 18:45 UTC