(Image: Getty Images/Westend61)
UK tourists warned as swimming ‘banned’ at Canary Islands beach
by Liv Clarke · Manchester Evening NewsUK holidaymakers have been warned to take care at a resort in Tenerife after two warnings were issued for the same coastal area this week. Local authorities have issued a temporary ban on swimming at the central beach of El Médano in the south-east of the island after faecal matter was detected on Tuesday, October 15.
In a statement on its website, the city council of Granadilla de Abona said: “An increase in the level of enterococci above the maximum permitted has been detected on the central beach of El Médano. Therefore, swimming is temporarily prohibited on this beach as a measure to guarantee the safety of bathers.”
It stated that samples are collected every Monday and Thursday, and then processed at a laboratory every Tuesday and Friday. In a post on Facebook the council added: “As soon as the results confirm that the waters are fit for the bathing, it will be reopening.”
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The ban follows an earlier warning issued by the council after a venomous sea slug spotted at the main beach of El Médano and Leocadio Machado over the weekend.
The council warned that the marine mollusc “possess toxins that can cause severe skin irritations and allergic reactions upon contact”. At the time a ‘purple flag’ warning, which signifies the presence of dangerous marine life in Spain, was put in place at the beach, alongside a yellow flag, which means swimming is permitted “but with caution”.
(Image: Ayuntamiento de Granadilla de Abona / Facebook)
Posting about the warning on Facebook on Sunday, the council said: “We recommend avoiding the entrance to the beach and following all directions from the authorities. Situation will be updated as soon as it's safe to enjoy this space again. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.”
A blue dragon is around 3cm long and can be found throughout the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans in tropical and subtropical waters. It is usually found floating upside-down on the surface of the water.