Lava continued to surge from a new fissure within la Palma’s Cumbre Vieja volcano on Saturday, destroying everything in its wake.
Ash plumes rose to around three and a half thousand metres in altitude on Friday, as clouds of dust drifted towards the airport, which has been closed for a week.
Fueled by stormy weather, this ash continues to disrupt local businesses and tourism.
Many airline operators have cancelled flights to the Spanish island. One such operator, TUI announced it will not resume flights to the island until December 16th.
In statement, TUI said: “Due to the ongoing situation we’ve unfortunately had to cancel all flights to La Palma departing up to and including 15 December 2021″.
Officials say the eruption which began on September 19 could last up to three months which could serve as a major blow to the island’s already fragile economy.
According to the National Geographic Institute, a total of 44 earthquakes were reported in a 24-hour period between Thursday and Friday.
So far, over 340 hectares of farmland have been destroyed by the molten rock, 211 hectares of this land was covered by banana plantations.
In addition, when lava meets the sea it sets off a chemical reaction, creating a thick fog of toxic gases.
A two-day lockdown on three coastal resorts was lifted on November 24.
A lockdown was originally announced in the seaside towns of Tazacorte, San Borondon and parts of El Cardon last Monday, while residents were ordered to stay indoors to protect themselves from the poisonous fog.
While the thick clouds of sulfur dioxide have subsided, the wearing of masks in these areas is still recommended.
