Volcanic eruption in Spain: A video surfaced on social media which showes the havoc being wrecked by the volcanic eruption on Canary Island of La Palma, leaving citizens in hysteria.
A molten lava erupting from a volcano has wrecked havoc on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma, causing hysteria among citizens and tourists, and forcing thousands to evacuate. Videos of the destruction has left people stunned on social media.
Following a week-long build-up of seismic activity, the volcano erupted on Sunday afternoon on La Palma, making it the second volcanic eruption in 50 years.
A 4.2 magnitude of quake was recorded before the eruption, and now, scorching molten lava is flowing downhill towards the ocean, destroying everything in its path.
Initially a drone video of the eruption went viral on social media, and soon, horrifying images and videos appeared that showed lava flowing into people’s houses, capturing the intensity of the disaster.
While the authorities were occupied with evacuation, firefighting, and giving out warnings to people to stay away from the phenomenon, a new crack appeared on the slope of the Cumbre Viejo volcano, and another stream of lava started flowing.
For a week, scientists had been closely monitoring a build-up of the underground magma in La Palma detecting more than 20,000 earthquakes, known as an “earthquake swarm”. Most of them were too small to be felt, but they indicated the eruption.
Scientists say that when the lava reaches the Atlantic Ocean, it can cause explosions and produce toxic gas, and there is a danger of more cracks appearing, and more lava vents forming, which will endanger new areas.
The lava flow in La Palma can last for weeks, even months, scientists say. The last eruption on the island, in 1971, went on for over just three weeks.