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According to reports, the Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma has ordered a new evacuation due to an explosion and a new opening.
Due to a new volcanic eruption, the plane was grounded on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain. This is the first cancellation of flights since the emergence of the Cambre Vieja volcano this week.
A new evacuation was also ordered on Friday, as a large explosion and new openings were reported in the volcano, which sprayed a thick cloud of black ash into the air.
All seven flights scheduled to be operated by Binter, Canaryfly and the national airline Iberia on Friday were cancelled.
Spanish airline Binte said on Twitter: “It is not yet certain when the flight can be resumed.”
Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque reported from La Palma, describing the scene as “a huge smoldering cauldron.”
“No one knows what will happen next… The volcanic ash lifted up and all flights in the area were cancelled… When the second crater erupted, we heard sound explosions, window shutters, a kind of response to what was about to happen. A real sense of fear,” he said.
The authorities also ordered a new evacuation. After the eruption on Sunday, 6,100 people were forced to leave the area this week.
Compulsory evacuation orders have been issued in parts of La Palma, “in view of the current eruptions increasing the risk of residents,” the regional government said.
Video clips from the National Guard show that a garden in the area was completely covered by thick ashes.
In recent days, the rate of lava flowing from the crater has slowed steadily, and experts hope it will not reach the coast.
If the lava reaches the sea, experts worry that it will produce toxic gas clouds into the air, which will also affect the marine environment.
The authorities set up a no-go zone this week to deter curious bystanders.
Estimated damage
Hundreds of houses and large tracts of land were destroyed by the volcanic eruption, and local authorities estimated losses of more than 400 million euros (US$470 million).
So far, there have been no reports of casualties.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday that the Spanish government plans to designate the island as a disaster area and develop a comprehensive reconstruction plan.
There are approximately 85,000 people on La Palma, which is the first eruption in 50 years.
The last eruption was in 1971, when another part of the same volcanic range—a vent called Teneggia—erupted on the south side of the island. More than 20 years ago, the Nambroque vent erupted in 1949.
As the eruption of the volcano in La Palma, Canary Island intensifies, a cloud of smoke and ash can be seen from the sea [Marco Trujillo/Reuters]
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