La Palma: Residents warned to stay inside as fresh lava from volcanic eruptions off the coast of the Spanish island | World news
Residents have been warned to stay inside after a stream of lava from the La Palma volcano reached the Atlantic Ocean.
That Old summit the volcano on the Spanish island has been erupting for more than two months, resulting in more than 7,000 people being evacuated.
One of its seven lava flows has now traveled across the island and dropped into the ocean, sending thick clouds of potentially toxic gas high into the sky.
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La Palma’s volcano is still spewing lava
It is the third lava flow to reach the water, landing a few kilometers north of where two previous currents hit.
Drone footage from the local council showed white clouds of steam and gas billowing out of the water as the red-hot melted rock slid down a cliff.
People in the coastal towns of Tazacorte, San Borondon and parts of El Cardon were asked to stay indoors with windows and doors closed as strong winds blew the cloud back into the country on Monday.
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Desert wilderness of ash on La Palma
The island’s airport was also closed due to adverse weather conditions and remained closed on Tuesday.
The largest lava flow is currently flowing towards the coast of Tazacorte, and access from the southern highway to the coast has been closed, the local council said.
Lava spewed by the Cumbre Vieja volcano has reached the sea twice before. Photo: Spanish Ministry of Transport
It added that evacuated neighborhoods remain closed due to poor air quality.
Technical director of the Pevolca Eruption Reaction Committee, Miguel Angel Morcuende, said residents of the capital Santa Cruz had been advised to wear masks for the first time since the volcano became active, due to high concentrations of particles and sulfur dioxide in the air.
At least 2,651 buildings have been destroyed since the volcano began erupting, according to the Copernicus disaster monitoring program.
The molten rock has covered more than 2,463 acres (997 acres) and has plastered houses with thick black ash.
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