The volcanic eruption started this afternoon, around 3.10pm, in the Cabeza de Vaca area, in the municipality of El Paso, on La Palma, just when the seismic activity on the island had reached the maximum since the beginning of the swarm a week ago.
The eruption has begun in the area where experts agreed that it could begin and for now there are two eruptive mouths that are expelling lava flows and pyroclasts. Likewise, some 300 inhabitants of the El Paraíso area have already been evacuated and no homes have been affected.
David Calvo, a geologist at the Canary Islands Volcanological Institute (Involcan), explained in statements to Televisión Canaria, collected by Europa Press, that what is called a 'strombolian eruption' is now taking place, a phase in which lava flows are emitted and pyroclasts that are reminiscent of the images seen in the Teneguía eruption, 50 years ago.
Calvo added that from now on we must continue working on the ground, try to quickly estimate the volume of lava that is being emitted, continue with the investigation work and provide all kinds of data to the authorities to help manage this emergency.
The geologist has pointed out that this scenario is not very different from the one they have already worked on in other eruptions around the world, and insisted that now it is time to see how the eruption develops. In this sense, he commented that it does not seem like a very explosive eruption and it seems that the lava comes out quite easily.
About how long this eruption will last, David Calvo acknowledges that it is "totally unpredictable" until the first estimates of the energies that are being released through the fissures are had and it is somewhat clear what eruptive dynamics this new eruption is taking in the Archipelago.
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