17 C
Dubai
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
spot_img

Hundreds are evacuated as lava erupts from volcanoes in the Canary Islands | Environmental News

[ad_1]

Later on Monday, after the earthquake in La Palma, a new crack appeared on the slope of Cumbre Vieja.

A lava river erupting from a volcano in the Canary Islands of Spain forced the authorities to evacuate hundreds of people on the island of La Palma affected by the crisis.

According to local officials, about 500 people were evacuated from the city of El Paso late Monday and early Tuesday after the new lava flow began to flow from another crack on the slope of the Cumbre Vieja volcano.

After the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute said there was a 3.8-magnitude earthquake late on Monday, new cracks appeared.

The volcano erupted for the first time on Sunday after thousands of small earthquakes a week, ejecting hundreds of meters of lava into the air, which rolled down the mountain and passed through the island’s countryside.

Since then, approximately 6,000 of the 85,000 people living on La Palma have been forced to leave their homes.

The mayor of El Paso, Sergio Rodríguez, told the National Broadcasting Corporation TVE: “The lava on the road to the sea is a bit erratic and has gone off track.”

Experts say that if the lava reaches the sea, it may cause more explosions and toxic gas clouds.

The maritime authorities have established a restricted zone spanning 3.7 kilometers (2 nautical miles) in the sea where the lava is expected to reach.

Mariano Hernandez, chairman of the island’s council, told the Cadena SER radio station that the move was to “prevent bystanders on board and prevent the gas from affecting people.”

“Disaster Zone”

According to data from the European Union’s Copernicus Emergency Management Agency, as of Tuesday morning, lava had covered 103 hectares (255 acres).

The lava flow was originally expected to reach the sea on Monday night, but its speed has decreased in recent hours.

According to a report by the Spanish private news agency Europa News, the authorities do not expect it to reach the coast before Wednesday at the earliest.

Scientists monitor the temperature of the lava to exceed 1,000 degrees Celsius (more than 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit) and believe that the flow may continue for weeks or months.

According to data from the Volcano Institute of the Canary Islands, the volcano emits 8,000 to 10,500 tons of sulfur dioxide every day.

So far, there have been no reports of casualties, but hundreds of houses have been destroyed since Sunday.

The emergency department said that if residents follow the advice, they should not worry about their safety.

Angel Victor Torres, head of the Canary Islands regional government, said that the authorities will ask the EU to provide financial assistance to help reconstruction.

He said the losses exceeded 400 million euros (470 million US dollars), which made the archipelago eligible for emergency assistance from the European Union because he described the area as a “disaster zone”.

King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia will visit the affected area on Thursday.



[ad_2]

Source link

Related Articles

Justin Trudeau’s Shocking Resignation Sparks Political Uncertainty in Canada

Justin Trudeau, Canada’s Prime Minister, has officially announced his resignation, marking the end of an era that spanned nearly a decade in office. Justin decision...

HMPV Outbreak in China: A Dangerous New Threat or Just Another Covid-19 Like Virus?

HMPV Global Spread and Impact Although the outbreak of HMPV is currently making headlines in China, it is not confined to that country. The virus...

U.S. Banks Strategize Green Commitments: Navigating Political Shifts While Driving Energy Transition

  U.S. banks, including Citigroup, Bank of America, and Morgan Stanley, have recently announced their withdrawal from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, a global initiative under...

UAE and Pakistan Strengthen Ties: Collaborative Ventures in Mining, Agriculture, and Regional Stability

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed a strong commitment to enhancing bilateral relations with Pakistan, particularly in the mining, minerals, and...

Global Economic Milestone: Countries Embrace OECD/G20 Minimum Corporate Tax to Drive Fairness and Growth

Global Minimum Corporate Tax: A Milestone in the OECD/G20 Framework for Economic Equality The implementation of a global minimum corporate tax represents a significant milestone...

Latest Articles