La Palma Volcano Reaches Atlantic Ocean, Leaves Trail of Destruction Behind: Here's All You Need to Know

Nearly nine days after lava started flowing down Spain’s Canary Islands, it reached the Atlantic ocean on Tuesday evening. The lava has left a trail of devastation behind, forcing scores of people to evacuate their houses, blanketing towns in ash, while residents struggled to come to terms with the destruction. “All we can do is cry. We are a small business, we live off all these people who have lost everything,” 30-year-old Lorena, who works in a jewellery store in the small town of Los Llanos de Aridane told Reuters.

Authorities said the lava had moved on the island of La Palma to within 800 meters (875 yards) of the Atlantic Ocean as of Tuesday morning. They warned when it eventually meets sea water, the lava could trigger explosions and the release of toxic gas.

When did the volcano start?

On Sunday, September 19, a volcano erupted on the Spanish Canary Island, sending lava shooting into the air and streaming in rivers towards houses in two villages from the Cumbre Vieja national park in the south of the island. Within two hours with lava edging down the hillside from five fissures torn into the hillside, the municipality ordered the evacuation of four villages, including El Paso and Los Llanos de Aridane.

Within hours, video footage showed fountains of lava shooting hundreds of metres into the sky, and at least three incandescent orange rivers of molten rock pouring down the hill, tearing gashes into woods and farmland, and spreading as they reached lower ground, Reuters reported.

Did lava cause any damage to property, human life?

Several houses were engulfed in the lava. In video footage, one stream, several hundred metres long and tens of metres wide, was seen crossing a road, engulfing scattered houses in El Paso. On the day of the eruption, Canary Islands President Angel Victor Torres told a press conference that 5,000 people had been evacuated and no injuries had been reported so far. However, some were allowed back briefly to recover belongings. Property portal Idealista estimated the volcano had caused around 87 million euros ($102 million) in property destruction so far. Late on Tuesday, the Canary Islands’ volcanology institute said the scale of seismic activity within the volcano was intensifying.

Drone footage captured towers of magma bursting high into the air, spraying debris onto the flanks of the Cumbre Vieja volcano. So far, no fatalities or injuries have been reported and nearly 6,000 people have evacuated since Sunday.

How long will the eruption last?

The Canary Islands Volcano Institute has suggested the eruption could last between 24 and 84 days. Raul Perez, from the Spanish Geological and Mining Institute, said that while the eruption continued, it would slowly keep pushing the lava flow. If the eruption continues for months rather than weeks, he told the Efe news agency, it could eventually reach the sea.

Also Read: Fears of Toxic Gas Generation Arise As Lava From Canary Islands Volcano Edge Towards Sea

In the lead up to the first ejection of lava, seismic activity near the surface of the island increased significantly. Although seismic activity is now low, the volcano continues to spew lava and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has warned there will be “some very long days ahead”.

What Now?

The airport on the Spanish island of La Palma reopened on Sunday although all flights were cancelled as the volcano spewed lava and emitted ash clouds over the surrounding area a week after it began erupting. People used umbrellas to protect themselves from falling volcanic cash, while the airport’s departures hall was quiet and boards showed only cancelled flights. Meanwhile, marine authorities are keeping a two nautical mile area in the sea closed as a precaution.

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