Volcanic lava threatens church and more homes on Spanish island
1 December 2021, 20:54
Molten rock from the September 19 eruption has destroyed more than 1,500 buildings on La Palma.
A fresh river of lava from the volcano on Spain’s La Palma island is threatening to engulf a parish church that has so far survived the eruption that shows no signs of relenting after 10 weeks.
The nearest lava flow to the Los Llanos de Aridane church has slowed down since it started over the weekend but is still only a kilometre away.
Molten rock from the September 19 eruption on La Palma, part of Spain’s Canary Islands archipelago, has consumed more than 1,500 buildings and covered over 1,130 hectares including banana farms, the island’s main source of revenue along with tourism.
A nearby cemetery has been completely covered, burying for a second time the remains of 3,000 people.
A fissure that volcanologists believe spouted a gusher of lava has also left a gaping hole in front of a house whose bottom floor was completely covered by a mountain of ash.
“The lava is flowing mostly on top of previous flows that have hardened,” Noelia Garcia, the mayor of Los Llanos de Aridane, told Canary Islands Television.
“But we won’t dare make a prediction (about its course).”
The volcano is going strong and seismic activity in the area has increased in recent days.
Spain’s National Geographic Institute registered 341 earthquakes over the past 24 hours.
Thousands of residents have been displaced by the eruption, which has not claimed any lives on the westernmost island of the archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of Africa.
