MADRID - Flights were cancelled across Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday, airport operator Aena said, as storm Hermine moved in from over the Atlantic, bringing heavy rains to the popular holiday destination.

There were cancellations across many of the islands, including 34 from Tenerife North airport, 22 from La Palma, 14 from El Hierro, eight from Lanzarote and four from La Gomera.

Spain's national weather agency, Aemet, has issued a red weather alert for the islands of Gran Canaria, La Palma and El Hierro from midday until midnight on Sunday.

The regional government has closed schools on Monday as a precaution.

On Sunday, regional president Angel Victor Torres told a press conference the storm was expected to move closest to the islands between 11 p.m. on Sunday and 11 a.m. on Monday.

Hermine had been expected to strike the Canary Islands as a tropical storm but was downgraded on Sunday to a tropical depression by the U.S. National Hurricane Center. It said heavy rains were expected to continue into Monday.

  - Reuters