LA PALMA: The airport on the Spanish island of La Palma reopened on Sunday although all flights were cancelled as the volcano spewed lava and emitted ash clouds over the surrounding area a week after it began erupting.
People used umbrellas to protect themselves from falling volcanic cash, while the airport's departures hall was quiet and boards showed only cancelled flights.
"They laugh at us because of the umbrella but if we don't use it we end up covered in ash," said engineer Waldo Nasco.
Experts said on Sunday there were two active lava flows, one fast-moving flow to the north and a slower one to the south.
"We have a flow to the north that is moving quickly... this lava comes from more interior areas of the crater and its temperature is about 1,250 degrees [Celsius]," said Miguel Angel Morcuende, director of volcano response committee Pevolca, told a news conference on Sunday.
Reuters drone footage showed a rapid river of red hot lava flowing down the slopes of the crater, passing close to homes, and swathes of land and buildings engulfed by a black mass of slower-moving, older lava.
Lava destroyed the village church in Todoque on Sunday afternoon, its bell tower crumbling under the flow. It narrowly escaped earlier in the week when lava stopped just short of the church.
Morcuende said people who had been evacuated from Tacande de Arriba, Tacande de Abajo and Tajuya would be able to return to their homes.
Spain's airport operator Aena said the airport had reopened after teams cleared ash off the runway. But Binter, the Canary Island airline said it would not allow flights today because of the conditions.
"The ash cloud originating from the volcanic eruption makes it necessary to maintain the temporary stoppage of flights to La Palma... The flights scheduled for today have been cancelled," it said in a statement, adding flights would be halted until conditions allowed them to take place safely.
'CLOSENESS AND SOLIDARITY'
Pope Francis sent a message of "closeness and solidarity" to those affected by the eruption during his weekly blessing in St. Peter's Square.
On La Palma, churches held special masses for those affected.
"There are many people who are having a very bad time so we are praying for them," said Magali Zarate, 49, from Mexico, after mass at the church of Colegio Sagrada Familia de Nazaret, where people outside swept away volcanic ash.
Zarate was on holiday on La Palma and was unable to return home because her flight was cancelled.
The Cumbre Vieja volcano, which began erupting last Sunday, entered a new explosive phase on Friday, experts said. The national Geographical and Mining Institute said on Saturday its drones had shown the volcano's cone had broken.
The eruption has destroyed hundreds of houses and forced the evacuation of nearly 6,000 people since it began on Sept. 19.
"La Palma airport is back in operation. After progress in ash cleaning work, it can now be reopened," Aena tweeted.
Travellers had been faced with cancelled flights on Saturday, and many had joined long queues at the port in the hope of getting a boat off the island.
On Sunday, ferry operator Fred Olsen Express said it would add an extra round trip between La Palma and Tenerife from Monday until Wednesday.
"Fred Olsen Express will increase connections... to continue meeting the demand for transport generated by the emergency situation caused by the volcanic eruption," it said in a statement.
La Palma, with a population of over 83,000, is one of an archipelago making up the Canary Islands.
No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported since the volcano's eruption, but about 15% of the island's economically crucial banana crop could be at risk, jeopardising thousands of jobs.
Reuters
Mon Sep 27 2021
A screengrab from drone footage shows lava flowing following the eruption of a volcano in the Cumbre Vieja park, on the Canary Island of La Palma, Spain September 26, 2021. - REUTERS
Polis buru empat lelaki bersenjata, bertopeng rompak kedai emas di Kajang
Pengunjung sebuah kompleks membeli-belah di Kajang berdepan detik cemas apabila empat lelaki bertopeng dan bersenjata merompak sebuah kedai emas dalam bangunan tersebut pada petang Isnin.
Hampir 30 pasangan dari Malaysia ke selatan Thailand setiap bulan
Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Narathiwat mendedahkan sekurang-kurangnya 30 pasangan dari Kuala Lumpur, Kelantan dan Terengganu datang ke wilayah berkenaan pada setiap bulan untuk bernikah dan berpoligami.
Netanyahu bubar Kabinet Perang Israel
Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu membubarkan Kabinet perangnya yang dianggotai enam anggota.
40 ditahan dalam Op Mabuk di Johor
Polis Johor menahan 40 individu terdiri daripada 37 warga tempatan dan tiga warga asing berumur 18 hingga 60 tahun dalam Op Mabuk di seluruh daerah di negeri ini sejak Ahad hingga pagi Isnin.
Empat lelaki ditahan kes culik, pukul, ugut remaja
Polis sudah menahan empat lelaki warga tempatan dan sedang mengesan beberapa lagi individu yang terbabit dalam kejadian melarikan dan menculik tiga remaja di sebuah pasar raya di kawasan Skudai.
Malaysia-China sehaluan meneroka bidang masa depan lestari
Selepas 50 tahun, landskap kerjasama diplomatik antara Malaysia dan China boleh disifatkan terus makmur dan progresif yang mana ia terlihat nyata dengan prestasi memberansangkan dari segi ekonomi dan pelaburan antara kedua negara.
Malah, untuk 15 tahun berturut-turut, negara tembok besar itu adalah merupakan pelabur paling utama buat Malaysia.
Malah, untuk 15 tahun berturut-turut, negara tembok besar itu adalah merupakan pelabur paling utama buat Malaysia.
Anwar-Erdogan senada tingkat bantuan kemanusiaan ke Gaza
Kedua-dua pemimpin turut mengulangi komitmen mengukuhkan kerjasama dalam pertahanan, ekonomi, budaya, perdagangan, pelaburan antara Malaysia-Turki.
Malaysia, Pakistan sepakat solidariti kepada penduduk Gaza - PM
Malaysia dan Pakistan sepakat untuk terus menyatakan solidariti kepada penduduk Gaza yang terkesan dengan tindakan tidak berperikemanusiaan rejim Zionis Israel.
Cuaca panas hadirkan kebimbangan buat jemaah haji
Kebimbangan mula meningkat selepas mereka mendapat laporan sekurang-kurangnya enam warga Jordan maut akibat cuaca panas pada Sabtu.
Sindiket dadah tumpas, rampasan berbilion euro
Kecekapan pihak penguatkuasa Jerman dalam membanteras kegiatan sindiket pengedaran dadah melibatkan rampasan bernilai berbilion euro.
Tujuh maut, termasuk kanak-kanak serangan di sebuah resort
Polis menemui mayat tiga wanita, tiga lelaki dan seorang kanak-kanak berusia 7 tahun di premis berkenaan.
Gunung berapi La Palma terus memuntahkan lahar
Letusan tersebut yang paling lama sejak catatan rekod dimulakan di pulau itu iaitu dari abad ke-16.
Cumbre Vieja kembali memuntahkan lava
Lava yang mengalir keluar di kawasan Las Manchas itu sangat deras dengan anggaran aliran 600 meter sejam, memusnahkan kediaman dan pokok di laluannya.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Gunung berapi La Palma paling aktif di Eropah sejak 100 tahun
Aliran baharu lahar dilaporkan mencetuskan kejadian tanah runtuh serta mengecam kawasan penempatan penduduk.
Gunung berapi La Palma meletus sekali lagi
Datuk Bandar Tazacorte memberitahu, pasukan kecemasan giat membantu penduduk untuk berpindah.
Gunung berapi La Palma meletus sekali lagi
Aliran lava baharu dilihat mengalir gunung berapi Cumbre Vieja menuju ke pantai barat pulau itu.
Hampir 1,000 bangunan musnah akibat letusan gunung berapi di Kepulauan Canary
Lava dari gunung berapi Cumbre Vieja di pulau La Palma di Kepulauan Canary telah melitupi sekitar 400 hektar tanah dan memusnahkan hampir 1,000 bangunan.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Letusan Gunung Berapi: Kualiti udara stabil di La Palma
Walaupun bimbang dengan gas beracun, pihak berkuasa menyatakan udara di kawasan pedalaman adalah selamat.