Fiona Govan
ALL flights to and from the airport on the Spanish island of La Palma remain cancelled on Sunday after an ash cloud from the Cumbre Vieja volcano made flying dangerous.
Air traffic was suspended on Saturday forcing the cancellation of 20 flights and continued on Sunday with no indication when it might be allowed to resume, said airport authorities AENA.
The eruption, which began on Sunday September 17 has now entered its tenth week, far outlasting the previous eruption on the island fifty years ago which lasted 33 days.
The latest eruption is considered the worst in the island’s history and has already destroyed 1,184 homes and covered more than 1,000 hectares in lava devastating plantations of bananas.
More than 7,000 people have been evacuated from their homes since the start of the eruption.
Seismic activity beneath the island continues overnight on Saturday with more than 40 tremors recorded, the largest measuring some 4.6 on the Richter scale.
A video recorded by Involcan on Sunday morning showed the huge plume of volcanic ash stretching above the island.
Footage recorded by Spain’s geological institute captured what was described as a ‘mar de bruma’ – sea mist – caused by the eruption.
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