Glowing lava is approaching other populated areas on the Canary Island. The authorities are ordering large evictions. For some, it may be goodbye forever.
Location on the volcanic island palm It peaked again on Tuesday. In the village of Los Llanos de Aridan, between 700 and 800 people were asked to leave their homes with pets and belongings due to the approach of the lava and reach a meeting point, state television station RTVE reported, citing the emergency committee in Pevolca.
They will have time for that until the evening. As far as developments permitting, those affected may also return in the following days with security personnel to save more belongings, Pevolka wrote on Twitter.
Thousands of people have already been forced to evacuate their homes
Since the volcano erupted in Cumbre Vieja three weeks ago, about 6,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. They stayed with relatives in other parts of the island or in hotels. Many of them will never be able to return. Their homes were burned and buried by lava, which reached a temperature of 1200 degrees. On-site reconstruction has also been impossible for decades.
Evacuation in La Palma: Since the eruption of the volcano, about 6,000 people have had to leave their homes. (Source: Sergio Perez/Reuters)
Hours before the evacuation was ordered, exit restrictions were lifted in the same area near the Callejon de la Gata commercial park. This had been imposed the day before as a precaution due to potentially toxic fumes because the lava, which reached 1,200 degrees Celsius, set fire to several factories, including a cement plant. However, there was nothing on Tuesday toxins It was measured in the air, Pevolka declared.
The main stream of lava flows into the Atlantic Ocean
Cumbre Vieja volcano, which does not have an official name, erupted on September 19 for the first time in 50 years. In the past few days, the outbreak has intensified. The lava is getting hotter and therefore thinner and faster on its way down towards the sea. So far, there have been no injuries or deaths.
Again and again there were powerful explosions, magma was thrown into the air, and smoke rose to a height of several kilometers. To date, up to 1,000 buildings have been destroyed and much damage to agriculture, especially banana plantations, and infrastructure.
Lots of small and medium-sized earthquakes
The main stream of lava, with a temperature of up to 1,200 degrees Celsius, has been pouring into the Atlantic Ocean for nearly two weeks, creating a new vertical region there. Meanwhile, two tributaries were formed, the northern tributaries rolled through the industrial area with devastating effect, and now threaten a residential area, the south just 300 meters from the coast. Several small and medium-sized earthquakes also shook the Canary Island off the west coast of Africa. Since Monday morning, there have been about 120 with a strength of 4.1, state television station RTVE reported.
According to the operator Aina, the island’s airport was operational. Flights by Binter and Canaryfly to the neighboring island of Tenerife, the most famous and largest, have been advertised on the Internet.
However, it was also reported that two flights of two other companies from Hamburg and Berlin had been canceled, as was a connection to the Spanish capital, Madrid. Air traffic to other major tourist islands in Canary IslandsOn the other hand, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria or Lanzarote were operating normally.