LOS LLANOS DE ARIDANE, Spain (AP) — A volcano on Spain’s Atlantic Ocean island of La Palma has erupted after a weeklong buildup of seismic activity, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands of residents. Lava flows have destroyed some isolated houses and threaten to reach coastal towns. Huge plumes of black-and-white smoke shot out from a volcanic ridge where scientists had been closely following the accumulation of molten lava below the surface. Officials say 5,000 people were evacuated by late Sunday. La Palma has a population of 85,000 and is one of eight islands in Spain’s Canary Islands archipelago. The last volcanic eruption on the island was 50 years ago and lasted three weeks.
Carlota Manuela Martin Fuentes/AP
This image taken from video shows the volcanic eruption in La Palma filmed by resident, Carlota Manuela Martín Fuentes. The volcano on Spain’s Atlantic Ocean island of La Palma erupted Sunday after a weeklong buildup of seismic activity, prompting authorities to speed up evacuations for 1,000 people as lava flows crept toward isolated homes on the mountainside. (Carlota Manuela Martin Fuentes via AP)
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