Canary Islands volcano eruption could last for three months, experts say
A volcanic eruption in Spain’s Canary Islands could last three months, experts have said.
The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute said on Wednesday that the eruption on the island of La Palma and its aftermath could last for up to 84 days.
Since last Sunday’s eruption, powerful rivers of lava have swallowed up 185 buildings
The institute said it had looked at calculations of the length of previous eruptions on the archipelago, which like the latest eruption were followed by heavy lava flows and lasting seismic activity.
This means residents could still be at risk of earthquakes, lava flows, toxic gases, volcanic ash and acid rain.
The institute also reported that Tuesday night saw a strong increase in the number of smaller eruptions that hurl rocks and cinders high into the air from the La Palma volcano.
Since last Sunday’s eruption, powerful rivers of lava, up to six meters high, have swallowed up 185 buildings, mostly homes in the countryside.
The lava now covers 154 hectares, according to the volcanology institute.
On Tuesday, the lava flows were heading downhill toward the island’s more densely populated coast.
Thousands of people have been evacuated since the eruption
Emergency services on the island attempted to divert some of the lava by using front-loaders to clear a path for the molten rock to follow, hoping to steer it away from properties.
However, officials said they did not know if it would work.
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Slow motion footage shows volcano’s power
Some 1,000 people were evacuated later in the day from the neighbourhood of Todoque on the shoreline, bringing the total number of evacuated people to around 6,000.
The meeting of lava – which is more than 1,000C – with a body of water, could cause explosions and produce clouds of toxic gas.
Homes have already been destroyed but the eruption’s aftermath could last for up to 84 days
Prompt evacuations have helped avoid any casualties from the eruption, though damage to homes, infrastructure and farmland is significant, officials have said.
The volcano has also been spewing out between 8,000 and 10,500 tons of sulfur dioxide – which also affects the lungs – every day, the institute added.
World
Russia calls meeting with UK ambassador after Lord Cameron says Ukraine ‘has right’ to strike inside Russia with UK weapons
Russia has warned that Ukrainian strikes on its territory with UK-supplied weapons could bring retaliatory attacks against British military facilities and equipment on Ukrainian soil or elsewhere.
During a trip to Kyiv last week, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said Ukraine “absolutely has the right” to strike back at targets inside Russia using British-supplied weapons.
Russia’s foreign ministry said the UK’s ambassador to Moscow had been “summoned” to make him “reflect on the inevitable catastrophic consequences of such hostile steps by London”.
The UK’s Foreign Office, however, contested the claim saying the ambassador had not been “summoned” but he had just taken part in a diplomatic meeting with ministry officials.
British ambassador Nigel Casey was called in for a formal protest, the Russian foreign ministry claimed, as it said Lord Cameron’s remarks recognised that Britain – which has given Ukraine billions of pounds worth of weapons to defend itself in the war against Russia – was now de-facto a part of the conflict.
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“Casey was warned that in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory with British weapons, any British military facilities and equipment on the territory of Ukraine and abroad could be targeted,” the foreign ministry said.
“The ambassador was called upon to reflect on the inevitable catastrophic consequences of such hostile steps by London and immediately refute the belligerent provocative statements of the head of the Foreign Office in the most decisive and unambiguous way.”
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement: “The British Ambassador was not summoned. He met Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials for a diplomatic meeting.
“The Ambassador reiterated the UK’s support for Ukraine in the face of unprovoked Russian aggression, and restated the UK’s position on providing support to Ukraine.”
During Lord Cameron’s visit to Ukraine last week, the foreign secretary reiterated Britain’s unwavering support for Ukraine, whose troops have been fighting Russia’s invasion since the Kremlin launched its “special military operation” in February 2022.
“Ukraine has that right. Just as Russia is striking inside Ukraine, you can quite understand why Ukraine feels the need to make sure it’s defending itself,” Lord Cameron said.
Senior Israeli officials have been threatening a major military operation into the city of Rafah and surrounding areas in southern Gaza for weeks.
On Sunday, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant warned it could take place “imminently” as talks on a ceasefire with Hamas fizzled-out in Cairo.
Now, they have taken a major step towards it.
War latest: Families flee Rafah as IDF orders 100,000 to evacuate
On Monday morning, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) released a statement instructing people in southeastern Gaza to advance towards an “expanded humanitarian area” to the north, centred around the city of Khan Younis, and a coastal community called Al-Mawasi.
The IDF said it “includes field hospitals, tents and increased amounts of food, water, medication and additional supplies”.
The claim will be greeted with scepticism by international aid agencies that have argued the Israelis have failed to do enough to facilitate such aid.
Civilians are being told to move to an ‘expanded humanitarian area’ to the north
The UN’s refugee agency in Gaza, UNRWA, immediately questioned the operation on X.
UNRWA said an offensive “would mean more civilian suffering and deaths” and that “the consequences would be devastating for 1.4 million people”.
The vast majority of people living in southern Gaza have already been displaced by the fighting further north.
And in what represents a significant juncture, the Israelis are instructing them to return to areas that have already badly damaged in this conflict.
Israel has been dropping evacuation leaflets from the air. Pic: AP
Khan Younis was placed under siege by the IDF in January and many neighbourhoods have been partially – or completely – destroyed.
However, there are no doubts about the Israelis’ intent.
Leaflets are now being dropped in southeastern Gaza, stating: “Anyone in the area puts themselves and their family members in danger. For your safety, evacuate immediately….”
Aerial strikes have caused havoc – but there are fears a ground attack would be even worse. Pic: Reuters
With this operation, Israel would test the very limits of support that it receives from Western countries like the US, the UK and members of the European Union.
Last week, US secretary of state Antony Blinken suggested an incursion into Rafah was a step too far, warning the Israelis had yet to produce “a clear, credible plan to protect civilians”.
Until it does, Mr Blinken said Washington “cannot and will not support a major military operation” in the area.
Read more:
Peace looks distant as ever after Israel refuses ceasefire terms
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Now, Israel’s chief ally and military backer will have to formulate a response, one which requires them to evaluate the nature and extent of this complicated relationship.
But it seems Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet have made up their minds.
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