Hundreds flee as volcano erupts on Spain’s La Palma island, houses destroyed By Reuters

By Borja Suarez

LA PALMA, Spain (Reuters) -The Canary Islands’ first volcanic eruption in 50 years has pressured the evacuation of about 5,000 folks, together with about 500 vacationers, officers stated on Monday, including they had been hopeful they might not have to evacuate extra folks.

The volcano erupted on Sunday, taking pictures lava lots of of metres into the air, engulfing homes and forests and sending molten rock in direction of the Atlantic Ocean over a sparsely populated space of La Palma, probably the most northwestern island within the Canaries archipelago.

No fatalities have been reported however the volcano was nonetheless lively on Monday. A Reuters reporter noticed heavy smoke coming from the volcano and homes burning.

“The lava is transferring in direction of the coast and the harm will likely be materials. In accordance with specialists there are about 17-20 million cubic metres of lava,” regional president Angel Victor Torres informed Cadena Ser.

The lava circulation has destroyed about 100 homes to this point, Mariano Hernandez, president of La Palma’s council, informed Cadena Ser radio.

About 20 homes had been engulfed within the village of El Paso together with sections of roads, Mayor Sergio Rodriguez informed TVE radio station, including the lava was spreading via neighbouring villages, placing lots of of homes in danger.

Volcanologist Nemesio Perez stated there have been unlikely to be fatalities so long as no-one behaved recklessly.

La Palma had been on excessive alert for an eruption after greater than 22,000 tremors had been reported within the house of every week in Cumbre Vieja, which belongs to a sequence of volcanoes that final had a significant eruption in 1971 and is without doubt one of the most lively volcanic areas within the Canaries.

One man was killed in 1971 as he took pictures close to the lava flows. No property was broken.

A submarine eruption occurred about 10 years in the past near the islands however prompted little harm.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrived in La Palma on Sunday for talks with the islands’ authorities on managing the eruption. “We’ve got all of the assets and all of the troops, residents can relaxation straightforward,” he stated. He’ll go to affected areas later within the day.

A spokesperson for the regional emergency companies stated it was unclear what path the lava would take to achieve the ocean and that authorities had evacuated folks with mobility points from a number of coastal cities, together with the favored seaside resort of Puerto Naos.

Enaire airport operator stated air site visitors was open, with no downside of visibility, including that it was as much as airways to resolve in the event that they wished to vary their plans. Native airline Binter stated it had cancelled 4 flights.