Enlarge image
Smoke from La Laguna: According to the emergency committee, there is still hope that the lava flows will circle the town center
Photo: SUSANA VERA / REUTERS
On the Canarian volcanic island of La Palma, the lava flows threaten the municipality of La Laguna. The mass, which is up to 1270 degrees Celsius, came very close to the town center on its way to the sea on Wednesday, reported the state television broadcaster RTVE and other media, citing the competent authorities of the Spanish island off the west coast of Africa. The approximately 1650 residents of La Laguna were not in danger, because they had already been evacuated from their homes last week as a precaution.
However, depending on the course, the lava could destroy hundreds of houses as well as an old church and the community's school, as the head of the Pevolca Emergency Committee, Miguel Ángel Morcuende, told journalists. There is still reason to hope that the lava south of La Laguna will flow past the town center, he said. A gas station and a supermarket outside the village were hit by the lava. This can also be seen on video recordings published by the Canary Islands Volcanological Institute on Twitter.
Since the volcano on the Cumbre Vieja mountain range in the south of La Palma became active again more than a month ago, on September 19, for the first time in 50 years, the lava has already destroyed more than 1950 buildings, according to official reports.
On Wednesday, more than 800 hectares were covered by a meter-thick layer of lava.
This area corresponds to more than 1,100 soccer fields.
Around 7,000 residents have had to be brought to safety since the volcano erupted.
ime / dpa
