La Palma volcano spews lava into the air as eruption intensifies

Dramatic photos showed red hot lava into the air on La Palma after a new emission vent opened, causing chaos at the airport as hundreds try to flee.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano eruption, which began last Sunday, is entering a new explosive phase.

According to the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute, the new emission vent opened to the west of the main vent. According to images captured by drones from the national Geographical and Mining Institute the volcano’s cone had broken.

Morcuende said the evacuations currently in place would be maintained for another 24 hours as a precaution

The volcano has spewed out thousands of tons of lava, destroyed hundreds of houses and forced the evacuation of nearly 6,000 people since it began erupting last Sunday

The volcano has spewed out thousands of tons of lava, destroyed hundreds of houses and forced the evacuation of nearly 6,000 people since it began erupting last Sunday

Morcuende said the evacuations currently in place would be maintained for another 24 hours as a precaution

Morcuende said the evacuations currently in place would be maintained for another 24 hours as a precaution

There were long queues at La Palma's main port as people, some whose flights had been cancelled, tried to get ferries off the island

There were long queues at La Palma’s main port as people, some of whose flights had been canceled, tried to get ferries off the island

Director of volcano response committee Pevolca, Miguel Angel Morcuende, told a news conference on Saturday: ‘It is not unusual in this type of eruption that the cone of the volcano fractures. A crater is formed that does not support its own weight and … the cone breaks.

‘This partial rupture happened overnight.’

Morcuende said the evacuations currently in place would be maintained for another 24 hours as a precaution.

The volcano has spewed out thousands of tons of lava, destroyed hundreds of houses and forced the evacuation of nearly 6,000 people since it began erupting last Sunday.

According to the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute, the new emission vent opened to the west of the main vent

According to the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute, the new emission vent opened to the west of the main vent

Authorities on the Spanish island of La Palma ordered the evacuation of the towns of Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and the part of Tacande de Arriba that had not already been evacuated due to a volcanic eruption, emergency services said on Friday

Authorities on the Spanish island of La Palma ordered the evacuation of the towns of Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and the part of Tacande de Arriba that had not already been evacuated due to a volcanic eruption, emergency services said on Friday

La Palma, with a population of over 83,000, is one of an archipelago making up the Canary Islands in the Atlantic.

Spanish airport operator Aena said the island’s airport had closed.

‘La Palma airport is inoperative due to ash accumulation. Cleaning tasks have started, but the situation may change at any time,’ it tweeted.

Workers swept volcanic ash off the runway, electronic boards showed canceled flights and the departures hall was quiet as some people arriving at the airport discovered they would not be able to fly out.

There were long queues at La Palma’s main port as people, some whose flights had been canceled, tried to get ferries off the island.

‘I am going to Barcelona. But because we can’t fly we are taking the ferry to Los Cristianos (on Tenerife island) and from there we will go to the airport and fly to Barcelona,’ said Carlos Garcia, 47.

People evacuated from three more towns on Friday will not be able to return to their homes to retrieve their belongings because of the ‘evolution of the volcanic emergency,’ local authorities said.

Passangers wait at the closed La Palma Airport, as flights are suspended due to the accumulation of ash, on the Canary Island of La Palma

Passengers wait at the closed La Palma Airport, as flights are suspended due to the accumulation of ash, on the Canary Island of La Palma

Tourists wait for the ferry to leave the island after La Palma Airport was closed, as flights are suspended due to the accumulation of ash following the volcano eruption, on the Canary Island of La Palma

Tourists wait for the ferry to leave the island after La Palma Airport was closed, as flights are suspended due to the accumulation of ash following the volcano eruption, on the Canary Island of La Palma

On Friday, authorities evacuated the towns of Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and the part of Tacande de Arriba that had not already been evacuated after the new vent opened up in the flank of the volcano

On Friday, authorities evacuated the towns of Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and the part of Tacande de Arriba that had not already been evacuated after the new vent opened up in the flank of the volcano

The fiery explosions can be seen lighting up the sky behind hundreds of buildings in Los Llanos de Aridane on the island early this morning

The fiery explosions can be seen lighting up the sky behind hundreds of buildings in Los Llanos de Aridane on the island early this morning

Authorities initially ordered residents of those towns to stay indoors but moved to an evacuation due to intensifying volcanic activity (pictured, Cumbre Vieja continues to erupt overnight)

Authorities initially ordered residents of those towns to stay indoors but moved to an evacuation due to intensifying volcanic activity (pictured, Cumbre Vieja continues to erupt overnight)

‘Volcanic surveillance measurements carried out since the beginning of the eruption recorded the highest-energy activity so far during Friday afternoon,’ emergency services said.

At the quiet port of Tazacorte, fishermen described the devastating effect the eruption has had on their livelihoods.

‘We haven’t been out fishing in a week, the area is closed,’ said Jose Nicolas San Luis Perez, 49, who lost his house in the eruption.

‘About half the people I know have lost their homes. I run into friends on the street and we start crying.’

On Friday, authorities evacuated the towns of Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and the part of Tacande de Arriba that had not already been evacuated after the new vent opened up in the flank of the volcano.

No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported in the volcano’s eruption, but about 15 percent of the island’s economically crucial banana crop could be at risk, jeopardizing thousands of jobs.

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