The company that manages Spanish airports announced on Saturday that the airport on the Spanish island of La Palma in the Canary Islands is at a standstill due to the accumulation of ash released by the Cumbre Vieja volcano, which has erupted for a week. (Anna).
“The airport is at a standstill because of the accumulation of ash,” said Aina. “The cleanliness drive has started but the situation can change anytime,” he said.
As on Friday, seven flights had to be cancelled.
Violent eruptions and a large cloud of ash emanating from the Cumbre Vieja volcano ordered officials to evacuate several areas of the city of El Paso on Friday.
“Given the increased risk to the population due to the current eruption episode”, archipelago officials indicated that “a mandatory evacuation order has been issued for the non-evacuating portion of Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and Tacande de Ariba.” .
According to officials, the order pertains to 160 people, forcing over 6,200 people to leave their homes.
The Canary Islands Volcanoes Institute said two new eruptive vents, from which lava was flowing, also opened in the volcano.
According to the latest data from Copernicus, the European system of geospatial measurement, the lava has so far destroyed 420 buildings and covered 190 hectares on the island, whose main economic activity is banana cultivation.
The speed of the lava flows that have devastated part of the island in recent days has slowed significantly and officials are no longer able to predict when and if they may enter the Atlantic Ocean.
There is a possibility of meeting between the lava and the ocean as it can emit toxic gases.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that the Spanish government will declare La Palma a natural disaster-prone area in the Council of Ministers next Tuesday.
This measure would unblock the aid to residents.
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