From Friday to Saturday, there was a significant increase in the activity of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Canary island of La Palma. As a result of the rupture of parts of the crater, the ejection of lava increased, which led to the destruction of other buildings.
According to Saturday estimates from the La Palma authorities, where the Cumbre Vieja erupted on September 19, the volcano has already destroyed about 1,200 buildings.
La colada de lava avanza imparable por el camino de La Vinagrera a las 13,00 hora canaria / The lava flow moves unstoppable through the Camino de La Vinagrera at 13,00 Canarian time pic.twitter.com/z7OEIURa6k
— INVOLCAN (@involcan) October 9, 2021
As explained in a statement Saturday by the Institute of Volcanology of the Canary Islands (Involcan), the new lava flows have emerged from the rupture of the northern part of the crater heading towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Más imágenes de la nueva colada de lava que desciende por el Camino de los Campitos y el de la Vinagrera/ More footage of the new lava flow descending by the Camino de los Campitos and the La Vinagrera pic.twitter.com/bRlZAvZXMG
— INVOLCAN (@involcan) October 9, 2021
Spanish volcanologists expect the new lava flow to reach the coast of La Palma within the next 24 hours. According to their estimates, volcanic magma has already covered almost half a thousand hectares of the island.
? Información #ErupcionLaPalma
▶️ 180 terremotos desde último comunicado. 56 sentidos. Máximo 4,3 ayer
▶️ Tremor estable. Sin pulsos de intensifación
▶️ Altura columna eruptiva a las 7:30 UTC: 2.200 masl
▶️ Altura nube dispersión: 3.500 masl (al este)
?https://t.co/QtRkBg3WUA pic.twitter.com/JjPYgYfyOQ— IGN-CNIG (@IGNSpain) October 8, 2021
Meanwhile, experts from the Spanish National Geographic Institute (IGN) noted an increase in seismic activity in the volcano area. In total, about 100 discharges were recorded from Friday to Saturday.
IGN noted that there has also been an increase in the strength of earthquakes in the past 24 hours. The strongest earthquake with a magnitude of 4.3 points.