La Palma: A Month On, Volcano On Spanish Island Still Erupting Red-Hot Lava, Ash

<p><strong>New Delhi:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> It was on September 19 that the devastation started on the Spanish island of La Palma. The Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted and the streams of red-hot lava spewing from it started to turn into ashes whatever came its way.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A month on, there is no end in sight to the volcanic eruption, even as almost 800 hectares of land, about 2,000 buildings and many banana plantations stand destroyed. Over 6,000 people had to leave the island that is home to about 83,000 inhabitants, media reports said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">La Palma forms part of the Canary Islands archipelago off north-western Africa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the National Geographic Institute's volcano monitoring department, there is no way to predict how long the eruption would last.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Historical records show eruptions lasting 24 to 84 days ... It would be logical to assume something within those bounds, but we cannot risk (predicting) anything," Carmen del Fresno from the department told Reuters.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At a gathering in Valencia on Sunday, Canary Islands President Angel V&iacute;ctor Torres said, citing scientists: "There are no signs that an end of the eruption is imminent&hellip;&rdquo;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /><img src="https://ift.tt/2XqZCCq" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a title="&lt;strong&gt;ALSO READ | La Palma Volcano Is Spewing Lava, Emitting Ash Clouds On Spain Island | See Photos&lt;/strong&gt;" href="https://ift.tt/2WiabqY" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ALSO READ | La Palma Volcano Is Spewing Lava, Emitting Ash Clouds On Spain Island | See Photos</strong></a></span></p> <h3><strong>Molten rock has covered 754 hectares&nbsp;</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dozens of minor earthquakes happen on most days as the volcano produces a constant rumble and roar, and the ash from it has covered a wide area, AP reported.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The ash plume is now said to be several kilometers high.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the La Palma airport is open, flights are unable to land or take off on many days because of the ash.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The molten rock has covered 754 hectares of land, the latest satellite imagery showed, according to the AP report.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roads on the island have also been ruined.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm tired, so tired ... but who are we to fight against nature?" Reuters quoted Culberta Cruz, a 56-year-old hospital kitchen worker, as saying.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She, along with her husband Tono Gonzalez, a banana grower, and their dog, have been living in a tiny caravan for a month now, the report said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">La Palma depends heavily on tourism and the banana plantations. The government has promised to help rebuild the damaged infrastructure by spending millions of euros.</span></p>