The La Palma volcano eruption continues to wreak havoc in the smallest of the Canary Islands. The volcano started erupting on September 19 and has since engulfed more than 230 hectares of land.
In response to the La Palma volcano emergency, authorities ordered civilians in an area on the eastern shore of the island to lockdown as the lava spewing from the Cumbre Vieja Volcano continues its way to the sea.
The 1,250 Celsius degree lava may touch the Atlantic Ocean in the coming hours, which will likely cause explosions and clouds of toxic gases to engulf the island, according to the Canary Islands emergency services earlier today.
“Population will have to follow the authority’s guidance and remain in their home with doors and windows closed,” the services said on their Twitter account.
Civilians in the coastal areas of San Borondon, Marina Alta and Baja and La Condesa were also notified to follow lockdown protocols.
Eruption and tremors around the Cumbre Vieja volcano on Spain’s La Palma slowed to a near halt on Monday morning.
“In the last hours the volcanic tremor has almost disappeared, as well as the strombolian explosive activity,” the Canary Islands’ Involcan volcanology institute tweeted, referring to a type of intermittent eruption pattern.
However, Stavros Meteltidis, a volcanologist with Spain’s National Geographic Institute expressed that the sudden halt does not mean the eruption has ended.
“Just because the volcano is now less active doesn’t mean it can’t change,” he said.
With activity at the La Palma volcano eruption site easing, officials are now focused on the coastal areas where the superheated lava is expected to arrive.
No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported since the volcano’s eruption, but about 15% of the island’s banana crop could be at risk, jeopardising thousands of jobs.
Stay tuned for more updates on the La Palma volcano & coastal lockdowns.
We hope everyone near La Palma’s volcano activity is safe.
