Fifty years later, the volcano Cumbre Velha in the Canary Islands began to erupt again. After more than 4,000 earthquakes, the lava fired into the air on Sunday afternoon. The evacuation is ongoing, and eight houses have already been damaged by molten lava. Authorities are preparing to evacuate 10,000 people.
On Sunday, lava fired into the air for the first time in the city of El Paso, and during the day, seven more eruptions formed.
The island administration has changed the alarm level from yellow to red, marking the beginning of the evacuation of people living near the volcano.
Volcano Cumbre Vieja on the Canary Islands ?? is erupting. This comes after several days of significant seismic activity.
Previous eruption was 1971 and then 1949 before that.
? via @RTVCes pic.twitter.com/WzHJrfMEDH
— Scott Duncan (@ScottDuncanWX) September 19, 2021
The 1,075-degree magma has already reached several homes, and hundreds of people have been evacuated immediately, but authorities estimate that at least 5,000, or at worst, about 10,000 locals will be forced to flee their homes, meaning 12 percent of the island’s population are in immediate danger.
Finally, the eruption begins at Cumbre Vieja on La Palma, Canary Islands. The explosion took place around 3:20 p.m. It is a fissure eruption of at least 5 mouths and low explosiveness. pic.twitter.com/q8h2p2DgLa
— Elena (@ElenaCabaJar) September 19, 2021
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez went to the scene, and King Philip VI called the president of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands.
Just roughly hours ago, La Cumbre Vieja, just erupted in La Palma, Canary Island. ??.
20,000 earthquakes detected for last 15 days.#Eruption #LaPalma #CumbreVieja pic.twitter.com/OQMLlf7TSq— Tomi (1/2 AZ ?) (@Rhatomi) September 19, 2021
The Prime Minister praised and thanked the scientific experts who predicted the eruption, and said that although the extraordinary fires of the past took a lot of effort and time, but the presence of sufficient troops in Spain to cope with the eruption without human casualties in the Canary Islands.
A group from the military emergency unit arrived in La Palma to help with the work, and on Monday morning personnel will be transferred from Gran Canaria and Seville to make the rescue and evacuation process even smoother.
#AHORA Inicia llegada de la lava del volcán Cumbre Vieja a las casas de la Isla de La Palma en estos momentos #URGENTE. pic.twitter.com/vUi8bfOObe
— Perú Noticias (@PerNoticias6) September 19, 2021
Training in the surrounding villages was postponed, and tourists were transferred to other hotels. Flights have not yet been canceled, but volcanologists say it could happen soon, as eruptions can last for weeks. It is unknown whether any of the Ukrainians live near the volcano, but the Consulate General of Ukraine in Spain is awaiting applications.
Official magma fissure has opened on the La Palma island after a moderate M4.0 Earthquake struck the slope North West of the La Cumbre Vieja volcano, which is now in eruption after 50 years. The eruption is currently VEI2. pic.twitter.com/iPEkHUjlC3
— Aero (@Dedicated_Being) September 19, 2021
? ASSISTA: Imagens impressionantes do vulcão Cumbre Vieja em La Palma, nas Ilhas Canárias, esta noite (horário local). #LaPalma pic.twitter.com/7dGKJgHSVc
— Mundo News (@Mundo__News) September 19, 2021