Spain – Volcanic eruption in La Palma

A volcanic eruption on the Spanish Canary island of La Palma after more than a week of burning seismic activity.

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Pictures and videos from the place show that it says black smoke is in the sky, and also that lava is flowing down the mountainside. It also began to burn in the vegetation upon eruption.

The authorities are in the process of evacuating residents. The volcanic eruption has so far accelerated the evacuation of about a thousand people.

– just started

At about 15:00 local time, the eruption began in southern La Palma.

The eruption has just begun, writes the Canary Islands Volcanic Institute on Twitter.

La Palma is one of the Canary Islands and is located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco.

Measurement stations have recently shown increased seismic activity, and a number of small earthquakes may indicate that an eruption was approaching, according to the NTB.

– Do not visit the area

The eruption has now lasted for two and a half hours, and now at 17.00 Norwegian time the Involcan Research Institute, which researches volcanoes in the Canary Islands, made a clear call.

– Follow the advice of the authorities, and do not look for the area near the outbreak, they write in big boxes on Twitter.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he would go to the island. The Ministry of Interior stated that 200 security personnel were mobilized on their way by helicopter.

“People have been asked to exercise extreme caution and stay away from the area around the crater to avoid unnecessary risks,” local authorities said in a statement.

The most powerful earthquakes

The last time an outbreak occurred in La Palma was in 1971.

According to Reuters, about 40 people with special needs were initially evacuated as a precaution on Sunday. They were taken from villages in the area where the earthquake activity is strongest, to a military post.

A 3.8-magnitude earthquake was also recorded on Sunday. The authority warns of the possibility of stronger earthquakes.

La Palma Island, not to be confused with Las Palmas, Gran Canaria’s largest city, is not a major tourist destination unlike many other islands in the area.

It has a population of about 83,000, of whom 35,000 live in areas not far from the volcano, NTB . writes

The island is relatively small, with an area of ​​706 square kilometers.

– It can change quickly

Björn Lund, a geophysics researcher at the Swedish Seismological Stations Network, is following the development.

He says SVT This activity in the area increased significantly during the day.

So far, the outbreak is relatively small. But this can change very quickly. You can see from the photos from there that there are lava fountains and rocks are scattering, he tells the channel.

Status is updated.