A lava flow from the Cambre Vieja volcano falls into the Atlantic Ocean on the Canary island of La Palma.
Las Palmas, Spain:
Experts said on Thursday that lava from a volcanic eruption on La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands, which began falling into the sea two days ago, has already covered an area larger than 25 football pitches, leaving the surrounding residential The air quality is deteriorating in the areas.
According to the Volcanoes Institute’s Canaries (Involcan), the size of the newly formed peninsula had doubled to 20 hectares (50 acres) by morning.
The Pevolka Volcano Emergency Committee has warned that clouds of toxic gases from a possible eruption and molten rock hitting the sea have not yet materialized, but forecast changes in the wind could bring new dangers.
“With the weather we’re going to have from tomorrow,” marked by a possible change in the direction of the winds, which have so far dispersed the gases toward the ocean, it is possible that the “smell of sulfur” is described as “more with intensity” will be felt. “, Pevolca official Ruben Fernandez said.
According to the National Institute of Toxicology, sulfur dioxide levels rose for the first time on Thursday afternoon in Tazacorte, while the density of ash particles increased in Santa Cruz de la Palma.
Since beginning on September 19, the dramatic eruption has forced thousands out of their homes, while lava has destroyed hundreds of homes, businesses and vast areas of banana plantations.
The volcano spewed rivers of lava that slowly drifted toward the ocean, eventually falling into the Atlantic Ocean late Tuesday.
Since then, rivers of molten rock have not stopped pouring into the ocean, growing a delta of lava.
While the initial effect on the flora and fauna of molten rock submerged beneath a river is devastating, in the long term, it could prove beneficial – bringing minerals from the Earth’s core to the surface and providing a habitat both underwater and on land. Doing. to be colonized by species, experts said.
Fernando Tuya, a biodiversity researcher at the University of La Palma, said: “The lava will form a rocky platform that will become a substrate for many marine species in the future, that is, in three to five years.”
As the white-hot lava poured into the ocean, it sent plumes of acid fumes into the air, which experts said could irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory tract.
But there are fears that it could affect the local population as strong winds dispersed the vapor over the ocean.
However, this could change with the wind direction predicted to change on Friday.
disaster area
About 300 residents in the nearby town of Tzacourt have been told to stay at home to avoid any chance of the gases inhaling, and a 3.5-kilometre (two-mile) exclusion zone remains in place, which extends two nautical miles from the sea. Has happened.
“These measures will be maintained until we know that these areas are not at risk,” Pevolca’s Ruben Fernandez said on Wednesday evening.
The local government said on Twitter that La Palma has been declared a natural disaster area, with lava spreading over 476 hectares of land.
The European Union’s Copernicus observation program said on Twitter that it had destroyed 855 buildings so far, an increase of more than 200 in just 24 hours.
The eruption of La Cumbre Vieja has forced nearly 6,000 people to flee their homes, but so far, no one has been injured or killed.
Although the volcano is still erupting, La Palma’s airport resumed operations on Wednesday after flights were suspended over the weekend due to ash.
On Thursday, farmers were allowed access to their gardens outside the security zone to collect bananas – the main cash crop on the island.
La Cambre is located about 15 kilometers (nine miles) west of Vieja airport as the crow flies, although lava has only fallen on the western side of the volcano.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
.