Spanish Canary Island volcano eruption hits local record of 85 days
- The Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palma first began spewing lava on September 19 and has forced several thousand people to abandon their homes
- On Sunday, after several days of low-level activity, the volcano suddenly sprang to life again, producing loud explosions and blowing a vast cloud of ash high into the sky.
A volcanic eruption in Spain’s Canary Islands shows no sign of ending after 85 days, becoming the island of La Palma’s longest eruption on record Sunday.
The eruption has surged and ebbed since it first began spewing lava on September 19. It has since destroyed almost 3,000 local buildings and forced several thousand people to abandon their homes.
On Sunday, after several days of low-level activity, the Cumbre Vieja volcano suddenly sprang to life again, producing loud explosions and blowing a vast cloud of ash high into the sky.
Scientists say volcanic eruptions are unpredictable. Spanish experts had initially said the La Palma eruption could last up to three months.
Mariano Hernández, the island’s senior government official, described the volcano as “stable” in recent days.
“The fact is that all the key indicators have been low,” he told Spanish public broadcaster RTVE. “But the scientists won’t say exactly when it might come to an end.”
He said experts continue to measure the number and magnitude of earthquakes in the area and local sulphur dioxide levels.