La Palma volcano lava stream continues its destruction

La Palma volcano lava stream continues on its path of destruction 

The Canary Islands Volcanic Emergency Plan, Pevolca, is today, Saturday, October 30, monitoring a stream of lava from the Cumbre Vieja volcano that has split into two tongues. One of these tongues, of greatest concern, is that headed towards the southwest of the island of La Palma.

In just 24 hours, this wash – known as wash number three – is currently moving over previous casts, and has relentlessly destroyed houses, farms, and infrastructure in its 900 metre route. This is the river of lava that arose from the mouth that opened on the northwest flank of the main cone of the volcano.

Miguel Angel Morcuende, the technical director of Pevolca, indicated late yesterday afternoon that the reactivation of this wash heading southwest is located about 300 metres in a straight line from Las Norias. It is now advancing towards the Camino Aniceto and the area known as Las Majadas, with increasing proximity to the access road to Puerto Naos.

Seismicity continues in the same depths and areas, especially in Villa de Mazo and Fuencaliente. The Scientific Committee has emphasised though that there are no surface earthquakes, registering a decrease in earthquakes of magnitude 4.0.

Despite this, they have warned of the possibility of more earthquakes with intensities of 6.0 magnitude, and the probability of small landslides in sloping areas. Another of the lava flows, the one that has already devoured a large part of the La Laguna neighborhood, continues to grow in height, and its overflow into the ocean seems imminent.

Around 10,000 visitors are expected to arrive in La Palma this weekend, something which has provoked an immediate reaction from Pevolca. Due to the devastation caused by the lava, roads are limited on the island, and yesterday, Friday 29, the decision was made by Pevolca to recommend that the general highway LP-3, through Tajuya, is only for the use of heavy vehicles and public transport, as reported by diariodeavisos.elespanol.com.

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