Volcano erupts on Spain's Atlantic Ocean island of La Palma
CTV
A volcano on Spain's Atlantic Ocean island of La Palma erupted Sunday after a weeklong buildup of seismic activity, prompting authorities to speed up evacuations for some 1,000 people.
The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute reported the eruption on Cumbre Vieja, which last erupted in 1971. Huge plumes of black-and-white smoke shot out from a point in the volcanic ridge where scientists had been closely following the accumulation of molten lava below the surface.
Tinges of red could be seen at the bottom of the black jets that shot rocks into the air. One lava flow was quickly seen sliding down the mountainside and approaching a group of houses.
La Palma, with a population of 85,000, is one of eight islands in Spain's Canary Islands archipelago. At their nearest point to Africa, they are 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Morocco.
Itahiza Dominguez, head of seismology of Spain's National Geology Institute, told local TV station RTVC that although it is too early to tell how long this one would last, prior "eruptions on the Canary Islands lasted weeks or even months."
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