Tenerife and Ibiza hit: Drought in popular holiday destinations

Planning a summer getaway? You may want to consider the situation in popular destinations first as drought grips.

Tenerife and Ibiza are both in states of severe drought currently. While the state of Catalonia in Spain declared a state of emergency in February amid the region's worst drought on record.

The situation has been exacerbated by one of the driest winters on record. On March 1, officials in Tenerife declared a "drought emergency", limiting water usage with experts suggesting it could be years until water levels recover.

Satellite imagery of Tenerife and Ibiza highlight the loss of green spaces from above as vegetation dries without fresh water.

The lack of water is also impacting the local economy, with farmers unable to irrigate their farmland.

Tenerife has no rivers and very few dams for reservoirs therefore around 80% of the island's water comes from underground sources. To change this, officials are looking at plans to increase water storage capacity.

Drought-hit destinations can uncover some treasures. In 2023, with Italy feeling the impact of drought, receding water levels at Lake Garda uncovered a long-submerged pathway to San Biagio, an islet usually only accessible by boat.

With spring only just beginning, and summer still months away, the drought situation in Spain and other locations across the Mediterranean is only likely to worsen.

If you are looking for a break away from the UK and Ireland, be sure to double-check the situation before booking.