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Volcanic eruption on La Palma: German vacationers describe dramatic ash rain - "arms burned"

2021-09-27T23:07:37.766Z


Since Sunday we have been receiving apocalyptic photos from the Canary Island of La Palma. Thousands of people are threatened by the lava from the volcano there - including tourists.


Since Sunday we have been receiving apocalyptic photos from the Canary Island of La Palma.

Thousands of people are threatened by the lava from the volcano there - including tourists.

La Palma / Madrid - The volcano Cumbre Vieja on the Canary Island of La Palma has been spitting ash, rocks and lava since Sunday. The last time he did this was in 1971. Even before the volcanic eruption on Sunday, seismic activity on the Canary Island had increased. It has remained high since then, even if it has stabilized, according to the Guardia Civil. Lava, ash and smoke were thrown from the volcano up to 4,200 meters high, which is why flight safety in the airspace was recently called into question.

An end to the volcanic eruption is not in sight for the time being.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to spew lava into the sky.

A poisonous ash rain covers large parts of the Canary Island and the lava continues to flow towards the sea.

So far, it has destroyed around 350 houses and large areas of the island's large banana plantations.

Roads and power lines also disappeared under the lava - around 166 hectares of the island are now covered with lava.

Volcanic eruption on the Canary Islands: lava cover at a height of 15 meters

The lava now flows more slowly, but this can mean that it spreads further on land and does not flow into the sea.

As a result of the slowdown, the lava layer has partially reached a height of 15 meters.

However, the residents of the island now have more time to get themselves and their belongings to safety.

A restricted zone was introduced within two nautical miles of the point where the lava could presumably flow into the sea.

However, it is currently not certain whether the lava will reach the sea.

Should the lava flow into the sea, a dangerous chemical reaction occurs, which manifests itself in the form of a water vapor explosion, among other things.

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Volcanic eruption on La Palma: The lava rolls over houses and a swimming pool.

© Europa Press / dpa

After volcanic eruption: sulfur dioxide cloud threatens the entire western Mediterranean region

However, the volcanic eruption not only has an impact on the island of La Palma and the immediately surrounding areas, but also on large parts of the Mediterranean.

According to the Canarian volcano research institute Involcan, the Cumbre Vieja has been spitting out between 6,000 and 11,500 tons of sulfur dioxide every day since Sunday.

The cloud of this gas has already reached the coast of Morocco and is expected to hit mainland Spain as well.

From there it will spread towards the Balearic Islands and southern France.

According to various calculations, the cloud is likely to cover the entire western Mediterranean and large parts of the Maghreb region.

The aftermath of the volcanic eruption could last between three and twelve weeks.

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With a lava of over 1,000 degrees, La Palma is currently experiencing a bad catastrophe.

For people and the environment.

© Arturo Jimenez / dpa

Danger to life: holidaymakers get caught in ash rain when a volcanic eruption occurs

Thousands of people - including tourists - were evacuated even before the volcanic eruption, which was on the horizon.

Like many people, a German tourist couple was surprised by the volcanic eruption.

As the couple, who were traveling in a converted fire engine, reported to the

picture

, they were at the foot of the Cumbre Viejas on the day of the volcanic eruption.

According to their own statement, they were only 800 meters away from the volcano when it began to spew lava and ash.

In contrast to the residents, they were able to flee quickly with their car, where they keep all their belongings.

According to their own statements, they observe the lava from a little further away.

In doing so, however, they got caught in the hot ash rain which "burned their arms".

They are now in Los Llanos de Aridane on La Palma, which has not been evacuated.

Another impressive natural phenomenon can be observed in the Balearic Islands.

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List of rubric lists: © Arturo Jimenez / dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-09-27

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