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Orange Haze Covers Canary Islands Following Sandstorm

A sandstorm swept through Spain’s Canary Islands over the weekend, covering the area in an orange haze and disrupting travel plans for many vacationers as dozens of flights were grounded due to low visibility through Monday, February 24.

Thousands of British vacationers were stranded February 23 and 24 at airports in Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, and North and South Tenerife, media reported.

Additionally, more than 500 residents in Gran Canaria were evacuated due to wind-related fires that burned over 700 acres of land before they were 95 percent contained on February 23, according to local reports.

This video was recorded by Jose Agustin Benitez Perez from his balcony in Gran Canaria on February 22, and shows the hue of the sky as well as the lack of visibility.

The sandstorm shown is known as a calima, and occurs when warm bursts of wind carry sand and dust from the Sahara across the Atlantic Ocean. Credit: Jose Agustin Benitez Perez via Storyful