La Palma volcano | news summary for Tuesday 30 November
La Palma volcano: live updates
Headlines
- Cumbre Vieja continues to erupt well into its 11th week of volcanic activity
- Architect association pushes for 'new city' competition to rehouse those affected
- Canary Islands regional premier promises more homes for those displaced by eruption
- Over 2,500 buildings destroyed by lava on La Palma
- New lava flow threatens area of La Laguna
- Earthquakes hit La Palma again overnight
Useful information
- AS speaks to expert in volcanology about the effects of lava reaching the sea
- The lowdown on the active volcanoes on the Canary Islands
- Where are most volcanoes found on Earth?
La Palma eruption: related articles
Lava tubes send molten rock speeding downhill on La Palma
With the opening of new vents on Cumbre Vieja, a surge of fresh lava has careened downhill on its path to the ocean. Lava tubes keep the molten rock in liquid form allowing it to travel at incredible rates of speed. In the case of La Palma lava is rushing along at up to 2.25 miles per hour.
Sustainable projects to rebuild La Palma
The Canary Island Biosphere Reserve Foundation on La Palma is promoting various projects to sustainably rebuild areas affected by the Cumbre Vieja eruption. One of those is a cloud-catching system that would provide water and energy.
The water captured from clouds would be collected in ponds high on the slopes that would flow down through turbines producing electricity. At the same time that water could be used to fight forest fires and supply areas south of the lava flow with fresh water.
The projects to rebuild the island can count on 15 million euros from the government that will be spent over the next three years. Forty percent will go toward energy efficiancy and hydrolic projects.
View of La Palma volcano on Tuesday afternoon
The Spanish national weather service on the Canary Islands shared this picture of the eruption on La Palma from Tuesday afternoon.
Video of eruption from the secondary Cumbre Vieja cone
The Cumbre Vieja volcano developed a new vent on Thursday which accelerated the flow on lava down the side of the mountain. The National Geological Institute of Spain released new video recorded by their members in the field of the secondary cone and the rivers of molten rock from last night.
Spectacular footage of ongoing La Palma eruption
Radio and Television Canary Islands threw together a montage of footage from Tuesday, 30 November of the ongoing Cumbre Vieja eruption on La Palma. The final portion takes you flying over a river of lava as it flows down the slopes of the volcano.
Visualization of earthquakes on La Palma since beginning of eruption
On 11 September 2021, a swarm of earthquakes under La Palma heralded the coming eruption which would manifest eight days later. Since then the island has been rocked on a daily basis which has been continuously monitored by the National Geological Institute of Spain.
Following how the tremors have evolved over the course of the eruption since the initial swarm alerted of the impending natural disaster that has lastest for 73 days and counting.
New record close for La Palma earthquakes
By mid-evening today in Spain, more than 300 earthquakes had been observed on the island of La Palma, which is pushing close to the daily record here.
Most of them were measured as intermediate (between 10-15 km deep) but there were some of quite high magnitude. A new seismic zone has been observed at 20-24 km depth but with very little seismic activity.
Volcano by drone
Thanks to Jonatan Rodriguez you can watch this drone video in which you can see how the lava is flowing down Cumbre Vieja.
A new city for La Palma affected?
The dean of the Madrid's College of Architects, Sigfrido Herráez, has urged the governments of Spain and the local authorities of the Canary Islands to create an international competition to build a new city for the people affected by the volcano.
The proposal has been transferred to Spain's Superior Council of Architects' Associations and the objective is to restore the nearly 3,000 buildings affected by the volcano, giving priority to the quality of life of the people of La Palma, according to a communiqué from the Madrid association.
They say that the aim is to avoid architecture that feels "out of place, like the one that is being proposed now as an emergency solution - with wooden constructions and gable roofs that have nothing to do with the local environment - by building a new city as a consequence of this international call."
Landslides in the volcano's crater
María José Blanco, spokeswoman for the Scientific Committee of Pevolca, has confirmed in the latest update that there have been some landslides inside the recently formed crater on Cumbre Vieja.
Another eruption
And just when some people are starting to think this is all going to settle down, we see more footage like this one.
This was taken at the Llano del Jable Astronomical Viewpoint at 5:30pm local time (12:30 pm ET)
Infra-red imaging
This split image shows a comparison of one of Cumbre Vieja's most active openings with infra-red imaging technology.
Volcanic sampling
We may be over two months into this ordeal in La Palma but the sampling exercise continues. Understanding the composition of the various elements of the eruption could be invaluable.
Cumbre Vieja evolution
IGN have shared this impressive timelapse footage of the evolution of the secondary cone of the eruption.
La Palma hotels cater for 537
The most recent number we have been advised of is that there are now 537 people being sheltered in hotels on the island. This is up nine on the previous day and they have been shared across a variety of neighbourhoods.
The latest available data on the affected area is estimated at 1,134 hectares. The maximum distance between outer lava flows is 3,350 metres.
There have been a total of 1,548 buildings destroyed or damaged, according to the data provided by the Cadastre, 64 more than the last report. Of these, 1,242 were residential, 169 agricultural, 69 industrial, 37 leisure and hospitality, 15 public use and 16 for other uses.
La Palma Scientific Committee update
The latest report has stated that volcanic activity has been very intermittent, but we have witnessed all key areas being inactive at various times yesterday.
There have been several landslides inside the crater while lava flows are mainly occupying the surface areas where previous flows have been.
The last 24 hours has seen intermediate seismic activity continue to increase and this is all situated in the same areas as before. The maximum magnitude has been 4.2 mbLg, which took place at 10:54 am local time (5:54 am ET). This is the highest at intermediate depth since the beginning of the eruption.
Experts warn against poor air quality in Llanos de Aridane & El Paso
Seismologists have warned that the air quality in the municipalities of Los Llanos de Aridane and El Paso is "extremely unfavorable" as a result of oingoing gases being expelled by the Cumbre Vieja volcano.
More than 120 tremors hit La Palma overnight
The National Geographic Institute (IGN) has confirmed that during the early hours of Tuesday morning, 121 seismic movements were felt on the island of La Palma, one of which registered 4.1. This tremor was felt at El Paso at 06.42 local time.
Of the 121 earthquakes located during the early hours of Tuesday, 78 occurred in the municipality of Fuencaliente, 42 in Mazo and 1 in El Paso.
Cumbre Vieja volcano: in numbers
The population of the island of La Palma is 82,000. Lava from the volcano has covered more than 1,000 hectares of land, and destroyed nearly 1,500 buildings. 7,000 people have been evacuated and are still unable to go home with 500 of these individuals requesting emergency housing assistance from the local government.
Cumbre Vieja eruptive activity now centered on second cone
The volcano’s eruptive activity has now moved from the main cone to this new secondary one, mantains Itahiza Domínguez, a seismologist with the National Geographic Institute (IGN)
La Laguna on alert again
The more than 1,000 citizens of the municipal area of La Laguna are on high alert again as lava from the volcano on La Palma is once again threatening to reach the village. The residents have been forced to leave their homes twice since the Cumbre Vieja volcano originally erupted back on 19 September.
Signed Athletic Club shirt up for auction via La Valientes
The world of sport has been at the forefront when it comes to generating awareness and raising funds and Athletic Club are the latest club to do their bit for the cause with a signed shirt up for auction via https://lavalientes.com with all the money generated going to the La Palma relief fund.
Isla Bonita to host Copa del Rey tie
One of Spanish football's historic clubs, Real Zaragoza will visit the island of La Palma on Wednesday as they face Santa Cruz de la Palma side CD Mensajero at the picturesque Silvestre Carillo stadium. Both sides face off in the first round of the Spanish Cup.
Main Cumbre Vieja vent resumes volcanic activity
As has been the case on two previous occasions, the main vent stopped for a brief period in emitting gases, smoke and lava. After a brief hiatus, Involcan confirm on Tuesday morning that the main vent is reactive again.
The Brazil and Barcelona player was keen to lend a hand in raising funds for the La Palma relief cause as he auctions his Olympic Games match-worn shirt via his Instagram account.
Cumbre Vieja volcano live updates: hello and welcome
Good morning and welcome to our dedicated live feed on Cumbre Vieja, the volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma which has now been active for more than two months.
Thousands of local residents have been forced to flee their homes and experts are still unsure of how long the eruption will continue for.