Lava Tsunami Adds To La Palma Volcano Eruption
Two 4.5 magnitude earthquakes have shaken the Canary Island of La Palma, as the ongoing volcanic eruption on the island continues to spew molten lava.
Spanish officials said the earthquakes were facilitating a “a true lava tsunami,” as lava spewed from the Cumbre Vieja volcanic range and snaked down the side engulfing everything in its path.
The latest lava flow is now threatening to destroy much of the municipality of Los Llanos de Aridane, whose 800 residents have now been ordered to leave their homes.
According to National Geographical Institute, the quakes were the strongest to hit the island, since the volcano erupted on the 19th September.
To date, some 7,000 people of the island´s 85,000 population have been forced to flee their homes to escape the lava flow, which has engulfed over 1, 500 buildings including the small town of Todoque, whose 1,200 residents are being sheltered in sports and municipal buildings across the island.
Uno de nuestros equipos ha podido filmar hoy un verdadero "tsunami" de lava. Impresionante velocidad y desborde del canal lávico / today one of our crew was able to film a truly lava "tsunami". Amazing speed and overflow of the lava channel. pic.twitter.com/aoKiUSJ2bX
— INVOLCAN (@involcan) October 14, 2021
Two main rivers of lava are still flowing from the Cumbre Vieja to the Atlantic Ocean where it has formed a volcanic peninsula.
Some 680 hectares of land, including valuable banana plantations have been lost to the lava.
The previous time the Cumbre Vieja erupted in 1971, seismic activity continued for over a month.