Spain: Concern grows in La Palma, where the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano does not weaken

In the Canaries, the eruption covered an area of ​​1115 hectares with lava, mainly affecting three municipalities.

Luismi Ortiz UME / AFP / File

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The situation is worsening in the Canary Island of La Palma where the Cumbre Vieja volcano began to erupt on September 19, 71 days ago.

The eruption covered an area of ​​1,115 hectares with lava, mainly affecting three municipalities, destroying dozens of buildings and forcing the closure of many businesses.

It was thought that the lava flows were getting smaller.

However, according to specialists, the opposite is happening. 

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With our correspondent in Madrid,

In all the Spanish media, the alert is omnipresent and anyone can observe it with the aerial shots.

At the top of the volcano, a new mouth has opened, which redoubles the lava flows and the tens of thousands of tons of sulfur dioxide emitted into the atmosphere.

This endangers the health of the "Palmeros", the inhabitants of this western island of the Canary archipelago.

A rash that lasts

Until then, it was believed that the rash would not last forever.

However, several vulcanologists and especially the agents of the Volcanic Risk Prevention Plan (Revolca), a national organization, say exactly the opposite: the eruptions of Cumbre Vieja should last in total well beyond 84 successive days, which is the record held. until now by another volcano on the same island of La Palma, Tehuya, in the 16th century.

Months and months?

This can go on for months and months, predict the specialists, without daring to set an exact deadline.

This means harmful consequences for the surrounding inhabitants, tired of volcanic ash, lava flows, even toxic gases.

Not to mention those who lost their homes, exactly 528 people, still staying in hotels until further notice.

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