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Canaries volcano spews ash after brief pause
by AFP Staff Writers
Los Llanos De Aridane, Spain (AFP) Sept 27, 2021

Eruptions shut airport on Canaries volcanic island
Madrid (AFP) Sept 25, 2021 - Clouds of thick black ash from volcanic eruptions in Spain's Canaries archipelago forced the closure of the airport on La Palma island on Saturday, authorities said.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano came to life a week ago and has intermittently spewed out lava and ash leading to the cancellation of all seven flights on Friday.

"The airport is closed because of the accumulation of ash," said state-owned airport operator Aena.

"Clean-up operations have begun but the situation can change at any moment," it added.

More evacuations were also ordered Friday at the town of El Paso as large explosions and new openings were reported at the volcano.

"Given the increased risk for the population due to the current eruptive episode", the regional government said, an obligatory evacuation order was issued for several districts.

That pushed the number of people forced to leave their homes so far to more than 6,200, including 400 tourists.

The flight cancellations began on Friday.

"It is not yet possible to say when we can resume flights," Spanish carrier Binter said on Twitter.

According to the European Union's Copernicus Earth Observation Programme, lava has so far destroyed 420 buildings and covered more than 190 hectares (470 acres) of land.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced La Palma would be declared "a zone affected by a catastrophe" which opens financial aid to residents.

The speed of the lava flowing from the crater has steadily slowed in recent days, and experts hope it will not reach the coast.

If the molten lava pours into the sea, it can generate clouds of toxic gas into the air, also affecting the marine environment.

No casualties have been reported so far but the damage to land and property has been enormous, with the Canaries regional head Angel Victor Torres estimating the cost at well over 400 million euros ($470 million).

The eruption on La Palma, home to 85,000 people, was the first in 50 years.

The last eruption on the island came in 1971 when another part of the same volcanic range -- a vent known as Teneguia -- erupted on the southern side of the island.

Two decades earlier, the Nambroque vent erupted in 1949.

A volcano began spewing out ash again Monday after a brief lull in the Canary Islands, where coastal residents are confined to their homes over fears of toxic gases when the lava hits the sea.

La Cumbre Vieja, which straddles a southern ridge in La Palma in the Atlantic archipelago, erupted on September 19, spewing out rivers of lava that have slowly crept towards the sea.

But on Monday morning, the lava and ash flow had stopped, and the week-long rumble of the eruption faded to silence, before resuming its activity several hours later, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.

Smoke had continued to emerge from the top during the lull.

"In the last hours, the volcanic tremor has almost disappeared, as well as the explosive strombolian activity," tweeted Involcan volcanology institute, using the scientific term for a mix of explosions and lava flow.

"Volcanic activity in La Palma has reduced significantly in the last few hours," Madrid's Institute of Geosciences tweeted.

"We must be very vigilant about how it evolves because the scenario can change quickly."

Several hours later, the volcano started pumping out ash again.

- Fits and starts -

Speaking to AFP after the resumption, Involcan spokesman David Calvo said it was "just ash, for the time being". La Cumbre Vieja had been switching between "explosive episodes and lulls for quite a while", he added.

Overnight, 300 residents living in coastal areas were ordered to stay at home to avoid harm from the release of toxic gases when the lava finally reaches the sea, the regional government said.

"The population must follow the instructions of the authorities and remain at home, with doors and windows closed," it said.

The lava, moving very slowly, is currently between 800 and 1,000 metres (around half a mile) away from the shore, it said. An evacuation order affecting four areas is in place around Tazacorte, where it is expected to enter the sea.

Officials have also set up an exclusion zone to head off curious onlookers.

Experts say the entry of lava into the seawater will send clouds of toxic gas into the air, causing explosions and a fragmentation of the molten rock like gunshots.

"Inhalation or contact with acid gases and liquids can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory tract, and may cause breathing difficulties, especially in people with pre-existing respiratory diseases," Involcan warned.

- Air traffic disrupted -

The molten rock has so far scorched its way across more than 235 hectares of land, burning up many banana plantations, devoured 513 properties and destroyed nearly 20 kilometres of road, the European Union's Copernicus Earth Observation Programme said.

And eruption has so far force more than 6,000 people from their homes, although 160 were allowed to return home on Sunday.

The authorities also said clouds of ash from the volcano had started to affect areas on the eastern side of the island.

At La Palma's airport, where air traffic was halted on Saturday for 24 hours due to the ash, local airline Binter said it had been unable to resume flights.

"We have halted our La Palma operations again after trying to make a first flight today and finding conditions were not safe enough," tweeted the airline, which is based in the Canary Islands, saying it would try again on Tuesday.


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SHAKE AND BLOW
Guatemala volcano erupts but no evacuations yet
Guatemala City (AFP) Sept 24, 2021
Guatemala's Fuego volcano began a strong eruptive phase on Thursday, spewing lava and ash in a series of explosions that have not yet forced any evacuations, authorities said. The eruptions produced a long river of lava flowing down to the base of the volcano, some 35 kilometers (22 miles) southwest of the capital Guatemala City, said Emilio Barillas of the Insivumeh volcano institute. "Activity that is taking place at the moment corresponds to the beginning of an eruption of strombolian charact ... read more

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