Lava Flows in La Palma
Source: Tanya Grypachevskaya on Unsplash
Canary Islands: Volcano eruption on La Palma destroys homes, no injuries
The volcano continued to spew red-hot lava and ash into the sky from the island of La Palma. Authorities have evacuated some 5,000 people, while a hundred homes have already been razed.
The volcano erupted on Sunday,after a week of heightened seismic activity. It is located on La Palma, the fifth-largest island in the Spanish archipelago that sits in the Atlantic Ocean off the western coast of Morocco.The eruption has forced the evacuation of about 5,000 people, including some 500 tourists, according to a Monday update from local officials.
Authorities said they were hopeful more people would not need to be evacuated.
Damage only material
Local TV station Radio Television Canaria (RTVC) showed footage of red-hot lava and dust emanating from the Cumbre Vieja National Park in the south of the island.
No fatalities have been reported but the volcano was still active on Monday, while some houses continued to burn.
Volcanologist Nemesio Perez said there were unlikely to be fatalities, adding that people had so far refrained from reckless behavior.
Around 100 houses were destroyed by Monday, Mariano Hernandez, president of La Palma's council, told Cadena Ser radio.
The fire brigade was brought in to fight forest fires caused by the eruption.
Flights to and from the Canaries — which are popular with European tourists — were continuing as normal, airport operator Aena said.
On Sunday, emergency services immediately began to evacuate around 2,000 residents, authorities said, having started moving those with reduced mobility earlier in the day.
Spain's Civil Guard initially announced it may need to evacuate up to 10,000 residents, but a later update by authorities on Sunday said 5,000 evacuations may *suffice for the time being.
"People are asked to be extremely careful and to stay away from the eruption zone to avoid needless risk," the government had warned immediately after the eruption.
More than 22,000 tremors were recorded in the area — one of the most active volcanoes in the Canary Islands.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez flew to La Palma on Sunday evening to see the eruption for himself.
Earlier, he said state organizations were ready to support La Palma "in a coordinated manner."
Itahiza Dominguez, head of seismology at Spain's National Geology Institute, told RTVC that it was too early to tell how long this eruption would last.
He added that prior "eruptions on the Canary Islands lasted weeks or even months."
The island of La Palma, one of several in the Canary Islands group, has around 83,000 residents.
Along with Tenerife, La Palma is the most volcanically active of the islands.
Sunday's eruption is the eighth since records began and the first on La Palma since 1971.
The last eruption on any of the Canary Islands occurred underwater off the coast of El Hierro island in 2011. That event lasted five months.
Unlike the better-known islands of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Tenerife, La Palma is not a popular tourist destination.
Spotlight on Vocabulary:
"Spain's Civil Guard initially announced it may need to evacuate up to 10,000 residents, but a later update by authorities on Sunday said 5,000 evacuations may suffice for the time being."
suffice - to be enough
- €100 should suffice. I doubt very much that you will spend any more than that.
- I don't think there is any need to call her - a text will suffice.
Fryday, for when only a giant plate of fish and chips will suffice 🍽️🐟 pic.twitter.com/j8mg3ijL2a
— Bentley's Oyster Bar (@Bentleys_london) September 24, 2021
Suffice (it) to say (that) - used to say that the statement that follows is enough to explain what you mean, even though you could say more
- What's your boss like? Suffice to say, we don't always see eye to eye.
- Suffice it to say that she was not pleased that her husband had forgotten their anniversary.
Comments
As this is the best English blog, it has an important property, among others, that it´s free, that is, you can write with complete freedom. Consequently, I can say what I want. Okay? Thanks.
In the first place, this article about the volcano of La Palma, in my opinion, is correct, clear and according to the reality. I suppose that journalist must be English because it is writing in English. For this reason, I congratulate this English journalist because he´s normal and professional. Why do I say that? Because I´m used to listening and reading that some English journalists report about topics of Spain with sour and unfair opinions, as if the Spanish were backward. In this case, they would had said that the Spanish are crazy because they had caused a volcano to heighten tourism or that the Spanish are against animals because they don´t defend the fishes of the lava from the volcano.
I want to say it.
In the second place, the behaviour of the Spanish is to feel proud, because the management of this fatality had been very effective. I think. There were no injuries. No animal had suffered. The rest of the Spanish people had dedicated fully to people of La Palma helping and supporting. The information had been true, faithful and swift. Scientifics and professionals have expected all risks for the time being. Suffice to say that I haven´t seen any review so far.
See you.
En cuanto a los animales, el teniente de la Guardia Civil afirma que se siguen encontrado sobre todo gallinas, perros y gatos en casas y granjas abandonadas y también perdidos por la carretera.
That's not from the wicked and prejudiced UK press. Many animals were abandoned to their fate - thankfully, some have since been rescued. I would never, ever abandon my home and leave my pet behind.
The standard of journalism in the UK is not what it was and sometimes leaves a lot to be desired but even so, compared to what you have in Spain, it is streets ahead.
Quite frankly, I am sick and tired of hearing about this volcano. I know, I know, but I can't help it. Yes, it's a major event and it is tragic to see people lose their homes. On the other hand, how much attention is given to the high number of fatalities trying to reach the shores of the Canary Island on a makeshift vessel? Every time I switch on to see the news, we have all the details of the latest trickle of lava. I find it hilarious that they keep a live image of the volcano as they quickly tell us a few other bits of news.
... I suppose that the journalist must be English because it is written in English. For this reason, I congratulate this English journalist because he´s normal and professional. Why do I say that? Because I´m used to listening and reading how some English journalists report about topics of Spain with sour and unfair opinions, as if the Spanish were backward. In this case, they would have said that the Spanish were crazy because they had caused a volcano to heighten tourism or that the Spanish are against animals because they don´t defend the fish from the lava of the volcano.
I mean it.
In the second place, the actions of the Spanish is something we should be proud of, because I think the management of this tragedy has been very effective. There were no injuries. No animal suffered. The rest of the Spanish people has greatly helped and supported the people of La Palma. The information has been true, faithful and swift. Scientists and professionals have predicted correctly all the risks for the time being. Suffice to say that I haven't seen any review (not sure what you mean here - the latest news?).