La Palma volcano summary updates: 16 October 2021
La Palma volcano eruption: updates 16 Oct
Airport update: still operational
Aena has confirmed that the La Palma airport remains operational. The reminder is, however, that cancellations are possible and anyone thinking of travelling should check with their airline.
Flights cancelled
Airline company Binter stated on Saturday that the ash cloud, coming from the volcanic eruption, has forced them to cancel all flights to and from the airport of La Palma until today at 13:00 local time.
The airline stated that it was forced to take this decision due to 'force majeure' and that it will restart the activity as soon as possible and as long as the safety of the flights is guaranteed.
So far, the rest of the airports of the Canary Islands are operational.
New lava flow very close to reaching sea
It has been four weeks since the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted, in La Palma, and the activity shows no sign of remission. Although the new opening that emerged on Friday to the southeast of the main cone has decreased in its activity, more activity there has not ruled out. The Volcanological Institute of the Canary Islands (INVOLCAN) announced that "key explosions" and lava emissions had been recorded within the area of the main cone.
Meanwhile, the two lava overflows from the mountain of La Laguna in the south, which forced the eviction of all residents of Los Llanos de Aridane, continue on their path and reached a speed of 1.3 km per hour earlier today, as reported by INVOLCAN.
Rubén Fernández, director of the Steering Committee of the Special Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Care due to Volcanic Risk (PEVOLCA), explained that these fronts are likely to converge into one and that is expected to reach the sea in an area distinct from the other lava delta (fajana). This will, however, depend on the orography and the final direction taken by the flow.
Canary Island President Torres reaffirms commitment to La Palma
The President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, once again offered his commitment to helping the stricken island starting at a public event over the weekend: "It won't be easy or fast, but I will give my all to help overcome the biggest tragedy ever to hit the island of La Palma”
Schools in Los Llanos de Aridane, El Paso and Tazacorte to re-open on Monday
4,606 students and 583 school staff will return on Monday next after all schools in the towns near to the Cumbre Vieja. Schools in Aridane, El Paso and Tazacorte were closed as a precautionary measure on 19 September when the volcano began to erupt.
35,000 earthquakes and tremors recorded in La Palma during the past month
Minor quakes have been registered in La Palma over the past four weeks with the most intense being recorded on Saturday (16 Oct.) registering 4.6 degrees
Leaving Los Llanos
Scenes like this are currently common in Los Llanos and La Laguna as families leave their homes as the fear of the houses being engulfed by lava continue to grow.
Binter cancels all La Palma flights through to 1300 Sunday
Regional Canary Island airline Binter has confirmed that all flights are cancelled to and from LaPalma until 1:00 p.m. tomorrow, October 17 due to ash cloud from the volcano. The airline confirmed that they are monitoring the situation on the island and request that passengers check the status of your flight
Cumbre Vieja lava flow extends
The lave from the Cumbre Vieja volcano has now covered 732 hectares of land on La Palma, some 52 more in the last 24 hours alone.
Lava La Laguna destruction
Cooling lava spewed from the Cumbre Vieja volcano is seen next to a destroyed advertisement for a supermaket in La Laguna, as the volcano continues to erupt on the Canary Island of La Palma
La Palma covered in volcanic ash
This fine bird's eye picture portrays exactly how the volcanoc ash has shrouded parts of the island close to the Cumbre Vieja volcano.
New surge in lava flow fuels fears of further destruction in La Palma
Another 300 people were evacuated from the La Laguna neighbourhood after a wave of molten rock overflowed out of the volcanic cone.
Lava flows down a hill spewed by the Cumbra Vieja volcano as it continues to erupt on the Canary Island of La Palma, as seen from Tajuya, Spain, October 16, 2021.
Photo by Reuters/Sergio Pérez
La Palma volcano update: eruption continues at high intensity, threatening airport operations
volcanodiscovery.com - The eruption continues with high lava effusion rates and strong ash emissions.
Lava flows continue to advance at various fronts, in particular along the northern margin of the existing flow field, continuing to threaten La Laguna.
According to the latest figure, lava has so far covered 742 hectares and damaged or destroyed 1,058 buildings.
Photo: Reuters/Sergio Pérez
Earthquakes continue to rumble in La Palma
There have been many earthquakes on La Palma since Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted approximately four weeks ago with today's recording of a 4,9 magnitude, the highest recorded since the eruption date.
Canary Island soccer shows support for La Palma
The Canary Island derby between the biggest sides on the archipelago UD Las Palmas and CD Tenerife is underway in Gran Canaria with both sets of supporters giving a warm round of applause on the 8th minute of the match as a show of solidarity with their neighbouring La Palma.
Lava flow around La Laguna recorded at 1,300m per hour
Involcan report that the lava flow that surpassed the mountain of La Laguna yesterday continues to be fed by lava that flows at 1300 m/h.
In pictures: A member of Spanish Emergency Military Unit (UME) watches La Laguna's soccer pitch engulfed by fire as lava, spewed by the Cumbra Vieja volcano, flows down as it continues to erupt on the Canary Island of La Palma, as seen from Tajuya, Spain, October 16, 2021. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Acres of new land formed of La Palma coast
Impressive image of the new land that has been formed in La Palma as a result of the lava flow reaching the see.
Drone performs food drops for trapped dogs
This footage shared by Press TV shows how the Cabildo de La Palma is using drones to drop food for dogs trapped by the lava....
ADAM platform has shared this impressive 3D image of the multiple rivers of lava flowing from the Cumbre Vieja Volcano...
Binter suspends all flights
Spanish airline Binter has announced that is cancelling all to and from La Palma today due to the ash cloud. "The situation due to the ash cloud from the LaPalma volcano forces us to maintain the temporary suspension of all flights with the island today, Saturday the 16th. We will continue to evaluate the situation and will resume flights when they can operate safely," tweeted Binter.
Latest update from Coppernicus EMS
Coppernicus EMS has released its 22nd updated on the Cumbre Vieja eruption using an optical image acquired on 15 October at 12.10 UTC:
- Lava flow now covering 736.9 hectates (+ 4.4 hectares in 9 hours)
- 1,826 buildings have now been destroyed.
16 flights canceled
As reported by expansioncom, 16 flights have been cancelled at La Palma airport due to the ash cloud, though the airport remains operative.
In pictures: Lava is seen through the window of a kitchen in El Paso following the eruption of a volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma, Spain, September 28, 2021. REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo
INVOLCAN continues analysis with ash collection
INVOLCAN continues to collect ash from the erpution daily "to better understand the eruptive dynamics of the volcano".
83 earthquakes registered in last 24 hours
A total of 83 earthquakes were registered in La Palma in the last 24 hours. The largest, with a magnitude of 4.5, occurred t 8.02am on in Villa de Mazo, with tremor felt throughout the island of La Palma.
Lava emissions increase
The volcano of La Palma has settled into a phase in which it is emitting more lava and less ash, with occasional overflows of magma which has caused the most active flow to continue advancing. That said, no further evacuations of the population are expected.
This greater flow, which we have recently seen reach speeds of up to 250 metres per hour, has been reflected in the increased size of the affected area. It now stands at 732 hectares, 52 added in the last 24 hours, according to the measurement of the Copernicus satellite system.
La Palma volcano eruption, live updates: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live blog for Saturday 16 October 2021, bringing you the latest updates and information on the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palma.
The lava first began flowing way back on 19 September and many believed it would be short lived. As we now know, this was a long way from what has transpired since.