LOS LLANOS DE ARIDANE, Spain (AP) — A volcano on Spain’s Atlantic Ocean island of La Palma erupted Sunday after a weeklong buildup of seismic activity, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands as lava flows destroyed isolated houses and threatened to reach the coast. New eruptions continued into the night.
The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute reported the initial eruption shortly after 3 p.m. near the southern end of the island, which saw its last eruption in 1971. Huge red plumes topped with black-and-white smoke shot out along the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge, which scientists had been closely watching following the accumulation of molten lava below the surface and days of small earthquakes.
Víctor Torres, president of the Canary Islands, said that by 11 p.m. some 5,000 people had been evacuated from their homes. Most, he said, had found family or friends to take them in. The rest were in shelters.
La Palma, with a population of 85,000, is one of eight volcanic islands in Spain’s Canary Islands archipelago off Africa’s western coast. At their nearest point, the islands are 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Morocco.
A 4.2-magnitude quake was recorded before the eruption, which took place in an area known as Cabeza de Vaca on the western slope as the ridge descends to the coast. As the eruptions continued, at least two open mouths belched bright red magma into the air that then flowed in tight streams down the mountain slope.
Shortly after the initial explosion rocked the area, one black lava flow with a burning tip immediately slid toward houses in the village of El Paso. Mayor Sergio Rodríguez said 300 people in immediate danger were evacuated, roads were closed and authorities urged the curious not to approach the area.
The lava eventually destroyed at least eight homes, according to local officials, causing at least one chalet with a tower to crumble. Authorities warned that the lava flows could also threaten the municipalities of El Paraíso, Alcalá and surrounding areas.
Carlota Martín was at an agricultural plot her family has in Todoque, just downhill from the eruption site, when she heard a huge explosion.
“When we saw the column of smoke, we thought it could not be real, but it kept growing and we knew we had to get out of there,” she told The Associated Press. “You leave, but you are also looking back because you want to see what will happen. Nobody knows how the lava flows will descend, but our plot and lots of houses in the area could be in the way.”
Mariano Hernández, president of La Palma island, said there were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries but the lava flows made him concerned “about the populated areas on the coast.”
“People should not come near the eruption site where the lava is flowing,” Hernández said. “We are having serious problems with the evacuation because the roads are jammed with people who are trying to get close enough to see it.”
Itahiza Dominguez, head of seismology of Spain’s National Geology Institute, told Canary Islands Television that although it was too early to tell how long this eruption would last, prior “eruptions on the Canary Islands lasted weeks or even months.”
The last eruption on La Palma 50 years ago lasted just over three weeks. The last eruption on all the Canary Islands occurred underwater off the coast of El Hierro island in 2011. It lasted five months.
Volcanologist Vicente Soler of Spain’s Higher Council said "the material appears to be very fluid, the lava flows will reach the sea sooner or later.” The scientific committee of the Volcano Risk Prevention Plan said part of the island’s southwest coast was at risk for landslides and rock falls.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez cancelled his trip to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly so he could travel from Spain’s mainland to the Canary Islands.
“The people of La Palma should rest assured that we have all the resources and emergency personal necessary,” Sánchez said after meeting with local officials on the island.
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Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona. Renata Brito contributed to this report from Barcelona.
Jonathan Rodríguez And Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press
Volcano eruption on Spanish island of La Palma forces evacuations
© Arturo Jimenez/dp
Madrid (dpa) - A volcano erupted on the Spanish island of La Palma on Sunday, with several violent explosions in the El Paso municipality in the south of the island forcing at least 5,000 people to flee the area, according to local media.
The volcano spewed rock fragments and red-hot lava into the air, while sending up large amounts of brown and white smoke following an initial eruption at 3:12 pm (1412 GMT), according to El Pais newspaper.
The Guardi Civil have evacuated at least 5,000 people affected by the eruption, the El Pais reported online. Among those evacuated from surrounding areas so far are 500 tourists, television station Canaris7 reported earlier.
The fire brigade was fighting forest fires caused by the eruption, while a large ash cloud could be seen over the island, home to the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge.
Broadcasters showed footage of lava flowing slowly downhill from the volcano towards the coast, crossing a road and surrounding at least one house.
Authorities on the small island with around 83,000 residents called on people to remain calm as the eruption is not particularly explosive so far.
But authorities called a red alert volcanic emergency plan and began evacuations. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez canceled a planned trip to the United States and arrived on La Palma in the evening.
Because of the approaching lava, which rolled downhill towards the coast in the form of orange-glowing rivers in the dark, around 5,000 residents of the villages of El Paso, Llanos de Aridane and the seaside resort of Tazacorte on the west coast of the island were brought to safety.
The eruption had been expected after thousands of seismic shocks in the past few days. In addition, the ground had been pushed upwards slightly in some places, indicating that magma was accumulating under the Cumbre Vieja.
The volcano had at least seven so-called vents, places from which ash, smoke and lava erupt, state television station RTVE reported. Earlier reports spoke of three to six vents.
Earlier this week, authorities had told people in the south to pack luggage along with their mobile phones, important documents and any medication they may need should they have to evacuate.
The last eruption in La Palma took place in October 1971, when the Teneguia volcano spewed lava for more than three weeks after a fissure appeared in the south of the island.
La Palma, unlike the better-known islands of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Tenerife, is not a popular tourist destination.
Canary Islands: Volcano erupts on La Palma destroying several homes
The volcano is spewing red-hot lava and ash into the sky from the island of La Palma. Authorities are preparing to evacuate 10,000 people and some homes have already been razed.
A volcano erupted Sunday on one of Spain's Canary Islands, after a week of heightened seismic activity.
The volcano is located on La Palma, the fifth-largest island in the Spanish archipelago that sits in the Atlantic Ocean off the western coast of Morocco.
Local TV station Radio Television Canaria (RTVC) showed footage of red-hot lava and dust emanating from the Cumbre Vieja National Park in the south of the island.
Canary Islands regional President Angel Victor Torres told Spanish state broadcaster TVE that no injuries had been reported so far.
Local media reported that several isolated homes were destroyed by the lava flows.
The fire brigade was brought in to fight forest fires caused by the eruption.
Flights to and from the Canaries — which are popular with European tourists — were continuing as normal, airport operator Aena said
Evacuation operation underway
Emergency services immediately began to evacuate around 2,000 residents, authorities said, having started moving those with reduced mobility earlier in the day.
Spain's Civil Guard said later it may need to evacuate up to 10,000 residents.
"People are asked to be extremely careful and to stay away from the eruption zone to avoid needless risk," the government added.
Sunday's eruption follows a series of earth tremors this week, measured at 3.8-magnitude, whose vibrations were felt on the surface.
More than 22,000 tremors were recorded in the area — one of the most active volcanoes in the Canary Islands
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez flew to La Palma on Sunday evening to see the eruption for himself.
Earlier, he said state organizations were ready to support La Palma "in a coordinated manner."
Earlier eruptions lasted months
Itahiza Dominguez, head of seismology at Spain's National Geology Institute, told RTVC that it was too early to tell how long this eruption would last.
He added that prior "eruptions on the Canary Islands lasted weeks or even months."
La Palma has several volcanic craters including San Antonio (pictured)
Eruption area is sparsely populated
The island of La Palma, one of several in the Canary Islands group, has around 83,000 residents.
Along with Tenerife, La Palma is the most volcanically active of the islands.
Sunday's eruption is the eighth since records began and the first on La Palma since 1971.
The last eruption on any of the Canary Islands occurred underwater off the coast of El Hierro island in 2011. That event lasted five months.
Unlike the better-known islands of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Tenerife, La Palma is not a popular tourist destination.
VIDEO Spain: La Palma volcano erupts — in pictures | All media content | DW | 19.09.2021
mm, jcg/jlw (Reuters, EFE)
Volcano ejects red-hot lava
Sunday's eruption on La Palma sent jets of lava and a plume of smoke and ash into the air from the Cumbre Vieja National Park. La Palma is the fifth-largest of Spain's Canary Islands, which sit in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Morocco.
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