TOPSHOT-SPAIN-VOLCANO
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Lava flows approach houses as the Mount Cumbre Vieja erupts in El Paso, spewing out columns of smoke, ash and lava as seen from Los Llanos de Aridane on the Canary island of La Palma, on September 19, 2021. - The Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted on Spain's Canary Islands today spewing out lava, ash and a huge column of smoke after days of increased seismic activity, sparking evacuations of people living nearby, authorities said. Cumbre Vieja straddles a ridge in the south of La Palma island and has erupted twice in the 20th century, first in 1949 then again in 1971.

La Palma residents were asked to evacuate the premises following a massive volcanic eruption over the weekend.

According to the Washington Post, at least 5,000 residents have already fled their homes after the eruption sent streams of red molten lava downhill toward the neighborhood. The eruption also caused the sky to darken. Persons with disabilities have also been evacuated even before the volcano erupted at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

More evacuations in La Palma could take place following volcanic eruption

Initially, Spain's Civil Guard announced that they might need to evacuate 10,000 residents, but they later said that 5,000 would suffice for the time being.

"People are asked to be extremely careful and to stay away from the eruption zone to avoid needless risk," a spokesperson said in Dw.

Reports confirmed that the volcano didn't show any signs of activity in the days leading up to the eruption. And the last time that the volcano erupted was in 1949. But authorities revealed that they detected more than 22,000 tremors around the volcanic region in one week.

Angel Victor Torres, the president of Canary Islands, said that the lava was spotted slowly floating towards the coast. So, locals were advised to stay away from the area and exercise extreme caution.

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No known fatalities following the volcanic eruption in La Palma

As of press writing, the 15-meter-high lava flow already swallowed 20 houses in the village of El Paso and some parts of the roads. "There will be considerable material damage. We hope there won't be any personal injuries," volcanologist Nemesio Perez said.

Perez adds that there won't be any fatalities as long as the residents won't engage in any reckless behavior. Several sources also shared videos of the volcano erupting. The clips show thick smoke reaching the sky.

Flights in and out canceled as La Palma could continue to erupt in the coming days

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez decided to cancel his flight to New York for the United Nations General Assembly to visit the affected area and provide help to those in need.

According to The Independent, flights to and from La Palma have been canceled because the lava continued to flow through an unpopulated area and into the sea on Monday. Local airline Binter confirmed that they had to cancel four flights to and from the island of La Gomera due to the eruption.

A group of 360 tourists was also evacuated from a La Palma beach resort and transferred to Tenerife's island by ferry. Another group of 180 tourists evacuated as a precaution from a resort in Puerto Naos.

As of late, it is still unclear up to when the volcano would erupt. However, previous eruptions reportedly lasted weeks or even months. While speaking with RTVC, Itahiza Dominguez, the head of seismology at Spain's National Geology Institute, said it is still too early to tell how long the eruption would last.

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