La Palma volcano eruption | news summary for Saturday 25 September

Eruption alters animal behavior on La Palma

"They are very scared by this phenomenon, all the animals have changed their conduct," says Manuel Nogales who has been studying the biodiversity of the Canary Islands for 40 years. He is seeing a change in the behavior of the animales never experienced previously. 

"For the animals, it's like a scene from a nuclear war"

Graphic of La Palma seismic activity in run-up to eruption

The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute closely tracks the activity of the various active volcanos on the islands. Two weeks ago seismic activity  began to greatly increase informing of an imminent eruption.

Shock wave from volcanic eruption caught on video

'Please just let it stop'

The volcanic eruption on La Palma besides destroying homes is damaging the island's banana crop, one of the main sources of income. In the photo from Reuters by Nacho Doce farmer Antonio Brito Alvarez, 65, holds ash in his hands that has affected his banana field at Los Llanos de Aridane.

Scenes from the volcanic eruption on La Palma

Cumbre Vieja began erupting after 3 pm GMT Sunday 26 September. Lava has now covered  an area over three fifths the size of Central Park.

Closeup aerial view of eruption and lava flow

The Geological and Mining Institute of Spain and the Spanish National Research Council provide footage from the eruption on La Palma showing the full extent of what the lava has covered since Sunday.

Evacuees not allowed to return to homes

Over 6,000 residents of the villages in the path of the river of molten rock will not be allowed to return to their homes to try to salvage possessions authorities announced Saturday. Friday night part of the active vent's cone collapsed sending  a surge of lava down the mountainside.

Nighttime aerial view of lava flow

Channel la Sexta broadcast drone footage of the lava flow Saturday evening. The flow is moving between 200 to 300 meters per hour.

Channel Cuarto criticized for Saturday movie line-up

Social media netizens took issue with channel Cuatro's Saturday movie selections in Spain which included Dante's Peak and Ashfall. People felt that it was inconsiderate and in bad taste to broadcast both movies about volcanic eruptions while thousands have had to flee their homes on the island on La Palma.

Current status of La Palma eruption

The lava continues to flow from the Cumbre Vieja eruption on La Palma but the tremors have subsided notably. The lava now covers some 212 hectares and has destroyed over 460 homes and around 10 miles of road.

CD Mensajero home game suspended

The side from Santa Cruz de la Palma and the biggest club on the island have confirmed that their home game against UD Montijo set to be played tomorrow has been suspended.

Latest tests show highest-energy activity

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

La Palma, with a population of over 83,000, is one of an archipelago making up the Canary Islands. 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 has lost his house in the eruption.

Airport closed as La Palma volcano eruption intensifies

Volcanic explosions spewed red hot lava high into the air on La Palma on Saturday as a new emission vent opened, forcing the small Spanish island to close its airport and preventing some people leaving.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano, which began erupting last Sunday, is entering a new explosive phase. The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute, Involcan, said the new emission vent that had opened was to the west of the principle vent.

Spanish airport operator Aena said the island's airport had been closed because of the volcano, which has spewed out thousands of tons of lava, destroyed hundreds of houses and forced the evacuation of nearly 6,000 people.

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

UD Las Palmas support for neighbours

Gran Canaria second division side UD Las Palmas showed solidarity with their neighbours adding 'Fuerza La Palma' on the match-day shirts that were used diring the LaLiga Smartbank clash against Ponferredina.

Involcan image of Cumbre Vieja volcano

The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute (Involcan) has shared this photo of the erupting Cumbre Vieja volcano, taken at 4:30pm local time today (11:30am EDT).

Huge queues as people try to leave La Palma by sea

With La Palma’s airport now closed due to the ash clouds caused by the erupting Cumbre Vieja volcano, people attempting to leave have been forced to seek a ferry off the island. The Canary Islands media outlet El Día has reported queues of “hundreds of people” at the Santa Cruz de La Palma ferry terminal.

La Palma lava flow infographic

The Canary Islands’ Safety and Emergencies Department has published this infographic detailing the progress of the La Palma lava flow and the areas affected, based on data provided by Copernicus, the European Union’s satellite observation programme.

Drone images of new lava flow

A drone sent up by the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain has filmed these images of a new lava flow emanating from the Cumbre Vieja volcano.

This lava flow has been caused by the opening of a fracture in the volcano’s main cone on Saturday. TVE has reported that this lava is flowing “more quickly and more fluidly”.

La Palma inhabitants urged to stay indoors

The Canary Islands’ regional government has urged the inhabitants of La Palma to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities as the erupting Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to spew volcanic materials into the air.

Citing the danger posed by "the gases and ash emitted by the eruption of the volcano”, the Canary Islands' health ministry warned of the adverse “respiratory and ocular” effects to people exposed to this.

WORLD NEWS

La Palma volcano: what will happen when the lava reaches the Atlantic Ocean?

We don't yet know when the lava will reach the sea - or actually if it ever will - but were keen to investigate what would happen if it did.

Greg Heilman has a look.

La Palma: "safety is priority"

The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, has declared that the safety of people is "priority" after the decision of Pevolca to keep those who were evicted on Friday afternoon.

"We are still very aware of the evolution of the eruption of La Palma. The Pevolca Steering Committee considers it necessary to maintain the evacuation of those evicted from some population centres yesterday.

"People's safety is a priority," said the regional leader.

La Palma airport closed: update

With the volcanic explosions continuing to spew red hot lava high into the air and as a new emission vent opened, the small Spanish island was forced to close its airport, thus preventing some people to leave.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano is entering a new explosive phase. The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute, Involcan, said the new emission vent that had opened was to the west of the principle vent.

Spanish airport operator Aena said the island's airport had been closed because of the volcano.

'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 cancelled flights and the departures hall was quiet as some people arriving at the airport discovered they would not be able to leave the island in the Atlantic.

'We were due to leave today but the flight has been cancelled. There are no flights to Tenerife tomorrow, the next one is on Monday so we have to stay two more nights,' said Laura, 46, from Madrid. She had been due to fly back to the Spanish capital via Tenerife for work.

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.

'Volcanic surveillance measurements carried out since the beginning of the eruption recorded the highest-energy activity so far during Friday afternoon,' emergency services said. La Palma, with a population of over 83,000, is one of an archipelago making up the Canary Islands.

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 has lost his house in the eruption. 'About half the people I know have lost their homes,' he told Reuters. 'I run into friends on the street and we start crying.'

A reminder that no fatalities or serious injuries have been reported in the volcano's eruption, but about 15% of the island's economically crucial banana crop could be at risk, jeopardising thousands of jobs.

Air quality good in La Palma

More from Miguel Ángel Morcuende:

"The air quality for the citizens is good. There is a permanent monitoring of this issue and there is [currently] no possibility of acid rain.

"It may fall one day, but it has to be many days for it to have an effect."

Lava flow update

Miguel Ángel Morcuende, the technical director of the Pevolva (the Canaries volcano emergeny plan) has recently spoken with the media.

"The old lava flow is almost stationary, perhaps advancing 20 centimetres per hour, 3,100 metres from the eruption and 2,100 from the coast.

"I don't dare estimate when it might reach the sea."

Nearly 1,000 people are working on the land

The Minister of Security of the Canary Islands Government, Julio Pérez, has confirmed that nearly 1,000 people have been part of the emergency team deployed in La Palma following the volcanic eruption.

Pérez made it clear that the work being undertaken is not easy, given "the enormous impact of the eruption" and that "there is a huge risk element to their work and lots of damage" already seen.

Here's another photo from Santiago at a critical point as lava begins to flow from a new opening in the surface.

Our reporter Santiago Castañeda has shared a few images in the last few minutes with us.

Here you can see the smoke continuing to rise from the volcano.

Scenes from La Palma

Our roving reporter Santiago Castañeda is currently in position in the Canaries and keeping us abreast of all the latest coming out of the island, quite literally!

Don't worry if you don't understand Spanish. We are here to ensure all the relevant information is reported in English.

Astonishing photos of nighttime lava flows

Against the pitch-black sky, the intense red emanating from the lava is truly a remarkable photograph.

In these photos by Samuel Sanchez, a lone house can be seen stranded as the lava flows around it. The ferocity of the eruption can be seen clearly too.

New magma opening found

The Volcanological Institute of the Canary Islands has reported that a new magma opening has been found in the volcano of La Palma. Experts clarify that these new mouth openings are a natural phenomenon in Strombolian eruptions.

La Palma airport not operational

Airport staff on the island need to clean the ash from the runway after the latest vent spewed further volcanic ash.

No new fissure in La Palma volcano - Involcan

The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute (Involcan) says a new fissure has not opened in the Cumbre Vieja volcano. “It’s the same system of fissures," Involcan scientific coordinator Nemesio Pérez has told Canarias Radio.

Although Involcan says there are no new fissures, the body is reporting that new vents have opened. The basic difference between a fissure and a vent appears to be that the former is a longer and larger hole than the latter.

SO2 emissions to spread, warn Copernicus

The spread of sulphur dioxide from Cumbre Vieja is set to continue, according to forecasts provided by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.

Infrared images of Cumbre Vieja lava flow

The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute (Involcan) posted these infrared video images of the lava flows coming from the new eruptive vents that have opened up in the Cumbre Vieja volcano.

Hundreds displaced amid Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and Tacande de Arriba evacuations

Between 300 and 400 residents of Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and Tacande de Arriba were forced to leave their homes in less than 15 minutes on Friday after finding themselves exposed to falling volcanic materials amid increased explosive activity in the erupting Cumbre Vieja volcano.

Almost 80% have sought refuge in the homes of friends and family, while the remaining displaced residents were to be taken to emergency accommodation at the El Fuerte military barracks in Breña Baja.

The eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano, seen from El Paso, La Palma, on Friday.

Photo: Miguel Calero/EFE

Volcanic activity increases on La Palma

Fire crews have had to withdraw from the neighborhood of Todoque due to increased pyroclastic material and ash being expelled.

The Cabinet will declare the area a disaster zone next week. Activity at the new volcano that erupted on Sunday on the Canary Island of La Palma greatly increased on Friday afternoon, prompting the authorities to evacuate more nearby municipalities and cancel flights.

A series of explosions have been heard throughout the day, while more pyroclastic material and ash was being spewed out from the Cumbre Vieja area. What’s more, a new vent has opened up, from which lava is flowing.

Full story via El País

Health Minister cancels visit to La Palma

The Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, announced on Friday that she has cancelled her visit to the island of La Palma as a result of the cancellation of numerous flights to the island due to the ash cloud emitted by the Cumbre Vieja volcano.

"We regret to inform you that, due to the cancellation of different air connections with the island of La Palma and the impossibility of providing other solutions by sea that would allow us to fulfil the planned commitments, the agenda of the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, for this Saturday, 25th September, has been cancelled", a statement read.

La Palma-bound flights cancelled on Friday

Spanish airline Vueling has been forced to cancel flights: "Due to the ash cloud from the La Palma volcano, flights VY3286 BIOSPC and VY3287 SPCBIO on Sunday 26/09 have been cancelled."

Cumbre Vieja still very active

Images of the volcano on Friday night broadcast by Spanish network Cadena SER show the La Palma eruption is showing little sign of slowing down.

La Palma volcano eruption: welcome

Hell and welcome to AS English's live coverage of the ongoing volcanic eruption on the Canary Island of La Palma. The Cumbre Vieja volcano has been spewing ash and lava since erupting on September 19, destroying hundreds of buildings and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.