Rats among the sun loungers: rubbish crisis hits Gran Canaria’s busiest beach

Rats have been spotted near sun loungers on one of Gran Canaria's busiest beaches, Playa del Inglés, causing a public outcry. Footage and photos of the rodents were shared on social media, drawing attention to the issue. The affected beaches include Playa del Inglés, Las Burras, and San Agustín, all located in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana.

The Cabildo de Gran Canaria's tourism councillor, Carlos Álamo, described the situation as "completely unacceptable" and said it needed immediate attention. The San Bartolomé de Tirajana council conducted an urgent inspection of the beaches, checking various infrastructure for rodent activity. They have carried out six pest-control operations in the area over the past two months, with additional inspections planned for August 18 and 20.

According to officials, there is no infestation, but the recent sightings are attributed to a "shock" treatment of rodenticide in the sewers, which makes the rats thirsty and disoriented. The tourism and security commission at the regional hospitality and tourism employers’ federation, Tom Smulders, stated that only one rat had been seen and urged people not to overreact.

The issue is believed to be linked to factors such as increased waste during August, cleaning staff absences, a truck breakdown, and a recent fire at a landfill site. The Cabildo has offered support to San Bartolomé de Tirajana in addressing the problem, and the tourism councillor has called for accountability within the cleaning contract held by the firm Faycanes.

Measures being considered include increased rubbish collection shifts and borrowing lorries from neighboring municipalities. The problem was first observed inland before reaching the tourist beaches, according to the opposition party Primero Canarias.