© Reuters. Lava flows following the eruption of a volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma, as seen from Tazacorte port, Spain, October 1, 2021. REUTERS/Juan Medina
By Juan Medina and Marco Trujillo
MADRID (Reuters) -Lava flowed from a newly opened crack within the Cumbre Vieja volcano on Spain’s La Palma on Friday, carving a unique path from earlier flows and elevating fears of extra destruction, whereas high quality ash compelled islanders to don masks and goggles.
A river of red-hot lava snaked downhill from the brand new fissure, which burst open late on Thursday round 400 metres (1,300 ft) to the north of the first eruption website.
A number of vents have opened because the volcano started erupting on Sept. 19 however the Canaries Volcanology Institute described the newest opening as a brand new “focus of eruption”.
“There may be concern in regards to the path of this new movement in direction of the ocean, though it’s anticipated to hitch up with the earlier one inside the subsequent few hours,” mentioned the pinnacle of La Palma’s council, Mariano Hernandez Zapata.
He mentioned extra homes had been engulfed by lava in a single day.
“Now we have extra drama forward, extra folks to care for,” he advised a information convention.
About 6,000 folks have been evacuated because the eruption started and are but to return house. Greater than 800 buildings together with homes, church buildings and faculties have been destroyed.
The volcano has thrown out 80 million cubic metres of molten rock, regional chief Angel Victor Torres mentioned, doubling the quantity expelled throughout La Palma’s final main eruption 50 years in the past in half the time.
Residents of Los Llanos de Aridane, one of many worst affected cities, have taken to carrying umbrellas and sporting eye safety as a precaution towards the volcanic mud blanketing the streets and floating within the air.
“Final night time the ash was irritating my eyes so much, I had to make use of eye drops and my pores and skin was stinging,” mentioned Matilde Gonzalez Tavarez, a 45-year-old nursing assistant visiting her mom at a care house in Los Llanos.
“It is helplessness, worry, insecurity. You do not know what is going on to occur,” she mentioned, whereas avenue cleaners brushed away the carpet of black ash behind her.
Juan Antonio Perez Gonzalez, 56, who runs a floristry enterprise within the city, fears the worst is but to come back.
“I can not put a great face on it or provide you with excellent news as a result of this can be a calamity,” he advised Reuters. He mentioned lots of the townspeople had been getting ready to pack up and go away.
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