Julio Pérez, the Canarian Minister responsible for the region’s volcano Emergencies Plan, has released a statement surrounding the recent volcano eruption on the Island of La Palma.
A red alert remains in place as ash fall is still heavy within the coastal area and Tazacorte districts with the public being urged to remain indoors.
“We are working as one administration in this crisis” said Pérez, after chairing Monday’s (28th September) meetings of the Scientific and Steering Committees. Canarian president, Ángel Víctor Torres, took part in the meeting via video link.
Approximately 200 people evacuated last Friday had been allowed to return to their houses in Tajuya, Tacande de Arriba and Tacande de Abajo yesterday, and the 5600 evacuated on the first day remain out of their homes as a precaution.
There is currently two lava flows that remain active – one in the northern region and one moving into the Southern region. The northern lava flow is moving over previous flows and has reached the vicinity of Todque Mountain, however it has slowed. The southern lava flow is also moving slowly.
Given the possibility that the lava might reach the sea and trigger explosions and vapourisations, the Scientific Steering Committee ordered 300 residents of coastal parts of Tazacorte (San Borondón, Marina Alta, Marina Baja and La Condesa) to remain indoors. However, a spokesman for the Committee stressed that gas clouds of this kind dilute rapidly and the ‘stay indoors’ measure had been ordered as a precaution, as required by the Civil Protection Law and PEVOLCA Plan.
Following the latest changes in the eruption process, and in view of the increased possibility that the lava will come into contact with the sea, the Directorate General for Merchant Shipping has also extended the No Sailing Zone one mile further north.
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