Volcanic eruption on La Palma: ash rain and earthquakes - locals delivered

2021-10-14T06:51:20.005Z

The volcanic eruption on La Palma continues to cause chaos. Lava has been leaking out for weeks - an overview.

The volcanic eruption on La Palma continues to cause chaos.

Lava has been leaking out for weeks - an overview.

Update from Thursday, 10/14/2021, 8:45 a.m.:

For more than three weeks, the residents of the Canary Island of La Palma have been largely passed out by the unpredictable volcano in the Cumbre Vieja.

While the island is repeatedly shaken by light to medium earthquakes, the lava, which was up to 1200 degrees Celsius, pushed inexorably meter by meter through the valley of Aridane towards the Atlantic on Wednesday.

According to experts, there is no end in sight to the outbreak.

The hissing of the volcano, which is drowned out again and again by the thunder of explosive discharges, and ash rain accompanies people at every step, pulling their nerves. But they don't give in. Around 800 other people, who had been called to evacuate the day before because of the approaching lava, were able to bring most of their belongings to safety, as the state TV broadcaster RTVE reported.

TV pictures showed how residents were clearing out their houses in great haste, important papers, mementos, furniture, dishes, washing machines, televisions, mattresses, blankets, bed linen, mopeds, bicycles, toys, clothes, everything of value was loaded onto trucks .

Some even unscrewed the taps, reported the newspaper "La Vanguardia".

People would look like thieves of their own household goods if they rummaged through cupboards again and again so as not to forget anything, wrote the newspaper El País.

The volcano Cumbre Vieja on La Palma does not come to rest - on the contrary.

But the most valuable thing, the houses themselves, their homes, had to be left behind by the people. Through open doors a jumble of furnishings could be seen that could no longer be taken in the rush. After that, the only thing left for the people was to hope for the miracle that the lava would spare their house.

Meanwhile, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez traveled to the island again on Wednesday.

During his fourth visit since the outbreak began, he emphasized that the government had already provided 10 million euros in emergency aid and another 214 million were earmarked for the purchase of apartments and the repair of infrastructure.

“But I also ask for your patience, because there is practically nothing we can do until the volcano has become inactive,” added Sánchez.

Unfortunately, there are no signs of this, experts have told him.

Volcanic eruption on La Palma: More than 1400 buildings destroyed

With the new evacuations, the number of people who had to get to safety since the volcano's first eruption in 50 years rose to around 7,000. Since September 19, 1,458 buildings have been destroyed or badly damaged and almost 660 hectares under Buried lava and volcanic ash.

Including ever larger parts of banana plantations, from which the island's main export good comes.

The island government assumed damage amounting to at least 400 million euros two weeks ago.

A more recent estimate has not yet been released.

According to the operator Aena, the island's airport was operational, but was only served by a few airlines such as Binter.

Air traffic to the other major tourist islands in the Canary Islands - Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria or Lanzarote - ran normally.

+++ 11.10

a.m

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was expected on Wednesday (13.10.2021) for his fourth visit to the volcanic island of La Palma, where the lava caused ever greater destruction.

Spanish media reported, citing the government, that he wanted to get an idea of the worsening situation on the spot and assure the authorities and residents of the island of solidarity across the country.

The day before, 800 other residents of the affected areas below the volcano in the Cumbre Vieja were asked to evacuate their houses because of approaching lava up to 1200 degrees.

This increased the number of people who had to go to safety since the beginning of the first eruption of the volcano (September 19) in 50 years, to around 7,000, as reported by the state TV broadcaster RTVE.

The volcano Cumbre Vieja on the Canary Island of La Palma is currently not coming to rest.

On TV pictures you could see people in great haste clearing out their houses, loading furniture, dishes, washing machines, televisions, mattresses, blankets, bedclothes, mopeds, bicycles, toys, clothes, everything of value onto trucks.

People would look like thieves of their own household goods if they rummaged through cupboards again and again so as not to forget anything, wrote the newspaper "El País".

But the most valuable thing, the houses themselves, their homes, had to be left behind by the people.

Through open doors a jumble of furnishings could be seen that could no longer be taken in the rush.

According to the operator Aena, the island's airport was operational, but was only served by a few airlines such as Binter.

Air traffic to the other large tourist islands in the Canary Islands, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria or Lanzarote, ran normally.

Update from Wednesday, 10/13/2021, 10:45 a.m.:

The extent of the volcanic eruption on La Palma is enormous.

This is now also shown by satellite images published by NASA. * They show, among other things, a rare phenomenon.

Volcanic eruption on La Palma: More than 1000 buildings destroyed

+++ 8.00 p.m.:

Several pets trapped by lava on the volcanic island of La Palma have been supplied from the air for days.

Two companies would use a drone to bring the animals food and water every day, the island administration said on Tuesday.

For this, the electronics company Ticom Soluciones and the tour operator Volcanic Life deserve the thanks of the island government, emphasized the commissioner for safety and emergencies, Nieves Rosa Arroyo.

The animals, including a white cat, were discovered five days ago by a drone with a camera, among other things in an empty water basin.

They cannot be reached by land because of the extremely hot lava around them.

The island of La Palma does not come to rest.

The volcanic eruption causes "enormous destruction", as experts report.

The volcano in the south of the island of La Palma, which was previously less known to tourists than other Canary Islands such as Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria or Lanzarote, erupted on September 19th for the first time in 50 years.

According to official reports, lava has destroyed more than 1,000 buildings since then.

Around 6,000 people were brought to safety.

On Tuesday, up to 800 more people had to leave their homes because of the approaching lava.

How long the volcano would remain active, experts could not say.

It could take weeks or months, it said.

Volcanic eruption: evacuation on La Palma - lava flow causes chaos

+++ 4.15 p.m.:

The situation on La Palma La Palma is now coming to a head again.

Between 700 and 800 people have now been asked to leave their houses with pets and their belongings because of the approaching lava and to come to a meeting point.

They have until 7:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. CEST), as the state TV broadcaster RTVE reported, citing the Pevolca emergency committee.

As far as developments allow, those affected may also return in the following days accompanied by security personnel to save more belongings, wrote Pevolca on Twitter.

Just hours before the evacuation was ordered, a restriction on going out had been lifted in the same region, which is near the commercial area of Callejón de la Gata (see update 2 p.m.).

La Palma: curfew lifted

+++ 2.00 p.m.:

About 3000 people were affected by going out restrictions on the volcanic island of La Palma.

But now the lock has been lifted again.

As the authorities announced, no more harmful gases have been detected.

These were feared the day before, when lava with a temperature of up to 1200 degrees had set fire to several companies in the Callejón de la Gata industrial park, including a cement plant.

After the volcanic eruption in Cumbre Vieja on September 19, there have been repeated strong explosions, especially in the past few days.

So far, up to 1000 buildings have been destroyed and great damage has been done to agriculture and infrastructure.

Experts are concerned that new magma may collect under the volcano.

This could indicate more and even stronger outbreaks in the near future.

Volcanic eruption on La Palma: curfew, new earthquake, toxic gases

+++ 12.45 p.m.:

The latest curfew in several localities on the Canary Island of La Palma affects thousands of people.

"We have decided that the residents have to stay at home until we can analyze whether the air quality allows a normal life," said Miguel Ángel Morcuende, head of the emergency commission, about the background to the measure.

The local authorities warn of poisonous gases which can be harmful to health.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano has not been resting for weeks.

On Monday (October 11th, 2021), for example, a cement factory was destroyed by the escaping lava.

Dozens of roads are currently closed.

A geologist reckons with long clean-up work and describes this as a "mammoth task" (see update from 8.15 am).

Volcanic eruption on La Palma: people are facing "mammoth task"

+++ 8.15 a.m.:

After the volcanic eruption on the Canary Island of La Palma, the German geologist Ulrich Küppers reckons with long clean-up work.

“It's a mammoth task,” he told the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

At the moment it is not known how long the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja will last.

After the eruption three weeks ago, a new lava flow had last formed.

At the moment, many roads are not passable, reported the volcano researcher: "It's like after a serious crash in the Alps, only that everything here is black and not white, and that this mass of dust, sand and ash does not melt away." Some houses would may no longer be habitable. The lava took the same route today as it did when it erupted in 1949, Küppers said.

“But today the area is much more densely populated, there is more agriculture.

That's why the damage is also greater. ”Researchers from all over Europe are currently on the island in order to better understand what is going on inside the volcano.

"General predictions are still difficult," said the expert.

In addition, they could not prevent an outbreak.

"It is important to know the effects so that people can prepare for the danger."

Volcanic eruption on La Palma: New curfew prescribed

Update from Tuesday,

October 12th, 2021

, 7.30

a.m

In the night from Sunday to Monday (October 11th, 2021) an earthquake occurred again on La Palma.

The violent quake was measured with a magnitude of 4.3, as TV station RTVE reported on Monday.

Due to toxic fumes on the Canary Island, curfews were also imposed on Monday.

A total of 3,000 residents are affected.

Update from Monday, 11.10.2021, 8.25 a.m.:

On the Canary Island of La Palma there has been "enormous destruction".

That reports the volcanological institute of the Canaries "Involcan".

The northern flank of the volcano collapsed on Saturday (see first report from 10.10.2021).

As a result, new lava flows with temperatures of up to 1240 degrees Celsius have been released, according to the experts.

The lava mass flooded a disused industrial park at a speed of 700 meters per hour, it was said on Sunday evening.

Recordings on Twitter show the force of nature:

Among other things, an earthquake with 21 seismic movements was measured on Sunday (see update of 10.10.2021).

Así avanza la colada de lava por la zona del polígono industrial / This is how the lava flow moves through the area of the industrial park pic.twitter.com/Ms4u1BBAPH

- INVOLCAN (@involcan) October 9, 2021

Volcanic eruption on La Palma: island does not come to rest

Update from Sunday, 10.10.2021, 10.15 p.m.:

The eruption of the volcano Cumbre Vieja keeps the Canary Island of La Palma in suspense. As reported by the US broadcaster CNN with reference to the Spanish Institute of Geology, blocks of molten lava that are as high as three-story houses roll down a hill on the island. After the partial collapse of a cone of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on Saturday (October 9th, 2021), these blocks of material were released.

On Sunday (10.10.2021) there were also 21 seismic movements, the largest earthquake on that day was 3.8.

Since the first volcanic eruption on September 19, 2021, the now eight lava flows have destroyed 1186 buildings on La Palma, 493 hectares of land have been swallowed up by the lava so far.

More than 6000 out of a total of 83,000 inhabitants on the Canary Island of La Palma have so far been brought to safety from the volcano.

Volcanic eruption on La Palma damages tourism, infrastructure and banana cultivation

The volcanic eruption on La Palma not only damages the infrastructure and tourism on the Canary Island. Banana cultivation is also badly affected. Around half of all islanders live on it, either directly or indirectly. Added to this is the restricted air traffic - according to authorities' assessments, air traffic could be impaired again on Monday due to the ash cloud, and the airport on Tenerife could also be affected.

First message from Sunday, October 10th, 2021, 12.50 p.m.:

La Palma - The Canary Island of La Palma is still suffering from the severe consequences of the volcanic eruption.

In mid-September, the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted for the first time in 50 years.

Since then, the Spanish island has been repeatedly shaken by earthquakes and entire regions have been destroyed by newly emerging lava flows - an end is not yet in sight.

Volcanic eruption on La Palma: ash clouds are several kilometers high

After large amounts of lava had already emerged from the volcano, the northern flank of the volcanic cone in the Cumbre Vieja collapsed, so that a new lava flow formed. The affected region had previously been evacuated. The island recorded its strongest earthquake since the eruption on October 7 with a magnitude of 4.1, according to the Spanish National Geological Institute. This created a side stream of lava that destroyed numerous areas.

In addition, the volcano incessantly spits out ash and smoke.

The ash clouds sometimes reach a height of up to three and a half kilometers.

As a result, air traffic had to be suspended on October 7th until further notice - due to the layer of ash on the taxiways, the airport was “not operational”, the airport operator Aena explained on Twitter.

A bitter decision for the tourism industry, which has already suffered major losses since the volcanic eruption due to numerous cancellations.

Volcanic eruption on La Palma: Already several hundred million euros in damage

But the island's infrastructure and agriculture have also suffered enormously since the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja.

The damage caused is currently estimated at around 400 million euros.

Around 1150 were destroyed by the lava making its way to the sea.

6,000 people had to leave their homes - but no one has been harmed since the outbreak.

Pictures of a cat trapped in an empty pool of water caused great excitement online.

There is lava around the pool.

An animal welfare organization got involved and called for help that the cat be supplied with food via a drone until it can be evacuated from the pool.

(tt / tab / tu with AFP / KNA / dpa / epd)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-10-14