Homes Destroyed, Thousands Forced to Evacuate as Volcano Erupts in Spain's Canary Islands
Thousands of people have been evacuated after a volcano on La Palma, one of Spain's Canary Islands, erupted on Sunday.
The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute reported signs of activity from the Cumbre Vieja volcano in the days leading up to its eruption, including a 4.2-magnitude earthquake.
When the volcano erupted at 3:15 p.m. local time on Sunday, red molten lava spewed into the air and ran downhill into the local village, destroying homes and causing people to evacuate.
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The institute stated that lava is currently at 1,967 degrees Fahrenheit and they are urging locals to follow the advice of authorities and stay away from the volcano.
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"People should not come near the eruption site where the lava is flowing," said Mariano Hernández, head of the island's government, ABC reports. "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."
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According to The New York Times, 5,000 and 10,000 people who live in villages surrounding La Cumbre Vieja National Park were also set to be removed by the military, but Canary Islands President Ángel Victor Torres said during a press conference that lava was traveling toward the coast and no additional evacuation would be necessary, Washington Post reports.
This is the first eruption on La Palma in 50 years, which lasted over three weeks. In 2011, an underwater eruption off the coast of El Hierro in the Canary Islands took place and lasted five months.
