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Portuguese Man O’ War Prompt Beach Closures on Tenerife’s North and West Coasts

Seasonal winds and currents have driven the venomous organisms into nearshore waters across monitored beach zones.

Overview

  • Local authorities in Garachico and at Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s Playa de la Teresitas have restricted bathing and posted warnings while lifeguards monitor conditions.
  • At least one swimmer at Playa de la Teresitas was treated at a medical facility after a painful contact with a Portuguese man o’ war.
  • Visitors are urged to stay out of the water where warnings are posted and to follow lifeguard instructions until beaches are declared safe again.
  • First aid guidance advises rinsing stings with seawater, carefully removing tentacles, immersing the area in hot water around 40–45°C, and seeking medical help for severe symptoms.
  • Wave breakers at Playa de la Teresitas can trap the organisms in the bathing area, and authorities expect to lift restrictions once they drift away with changing conditions.