Because of the eruptions from September’s Cumbre Vieja volcano in Mexico, all flights between La Palma and the Spanish island have been cancelled.
According to a spokesperson from the Spanish airport authority, twenty national flights were cancelled last Saturday.
Since the eruption of the volcano on September 19, 50 years ago, air travel from Spain to this island, in the Canaries archipelago off North Africa’s Atlantic coast, has been affected.

Lava and smoke rising from Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma (Canary Islands), Spain, 19/11/2021 Today all flights from and to the Spanish island were cancelled
Although no one was hurt in the eruption, more than 85,000 people were evacuated from the island. Some buildings were also engulfed by the lava flows.
According to Copernicus, more than 1000 hectares were lost and over 2,600 buildings were damaged.
According to regional estimates, provisional damage was approximately 900,000,000 euros (roughly $1 billion).
Pedro Sanchez, Spanish Prime Minister of Spain, visited the island on Friday and Saturday and announced that new assistance was being provided to support the economic and infrastructure development. This is a country heavily dependent upon tourism and banana growing.
After the eruptions of San Juan in 1949, and Teneguia (1971), La Palma now experiences its third volcanic eruption in one hundred years.
Scientists believe the most recent eruption could be up to 3 months in duration.

Pictured. Lava streams run down La Palma toward the ocean after Friday’s eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano. According to a spokesperson from the Spanish airport authority, twenty national flights were cancelled due to the volcanic eruption.

Photo: Cumbre Vieja volcano. It was photographed on November 19, 2021 at La Palma, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Canary Islands. There are currently three fronts of activity on the volcano.
It isn’t the first cancellation of flights from and to the island. The same happened earlier in November.
Some tourists were forced to stand in line for long waiting times when ferries left the island after their flights were cancelled.
Patricia Privado (30, a Madrid resident) described the eruption volcano as ‘a spectacle in nature’ earlier this month.
Her trip was worthwhile, she stated. “To listen to it roar and see the lava fall. This is what you have to see.
Leon Pena (65), said that he was visiting Fuerteventura from his home to find “something special”.
They both said that they were aware of the possibility of flight cancellations, but didn’t allow this to stop them from going to La Palma.

Pictured: Lava flows from the Cumbre Vieja volcano, from Los Llanos de Aridane, on 19 November, causing smoke to rise high above the buildings below

Lava, smoke, and steam rise from Cumbre Vieja’s volcano when it is seen in Los Llanos de Aridane. La Palma Canary Islands. Spain. 19 November 2021

Cumbre Vieja volcano was erupted in September. Since then, it has been spewing smoke, ash, and lava all over the island off Africa’s coast.
Their trips were also seen as a way to help the local economy, spending on the island which was greatly damaged by the eruption.
This month residents began to question the Spanish government’s promise of financial aid.
In October, the government promised 225million euros in assistance. As of the beginning November, around 21 million euros had been distributed.
Sanchez stated at that time that his administration would send 18.8 million euros to the fishing and agriculture industries, and 5 million euros in order to address the “social aspect” of the crisis.
Residents have been kept on edge by the constant roar of the volcano and the frequent earthquakes. In fact, earlier this month concerns were once again raised regarding possible releases of toxic gas into the air after the second stream from lava reached the Atlantic.
In November 1, the stream of melting rock reached the waters near Los Guirres, a popular surfing spot.
Spain’s Geology and Mining Institute uploaded a video at the time showing rivers of molten stone sliding into sea and large stones rolling down a steep cliff. This caused a cone containing debris to rise from the waterline.

Pictured: Members of the Spanish Military Emergency Unit (UME) monitor gas emissions in an ash-covered area of Las Manchas

Pictured: Ash covering the roofs and ground of the houses located near the volcano
Authorities said that residents were not required to remain indoors, unlike the previous time lava had reached the ocean.
Reuters was told earlier in the month by a spokesperson for the emergency services that ‘new confinements are unnecessary because the populations live far from the point where contact with the ocean occurred last night’.
The affected areas are populated mainly by banana plantations.
The eruption was a warning sign that superheated volcanic lava would react with seawater to cause powerful explosions. This could also trigger toxic gas cloud formation.
A man was killed by inhaling these gases during the most recent eruption of the island 50 years ago.
The council of La Palma stated Tuesday that the volcanic activity and emissions of toxic sulfur dioxide have been declining. However, the quality of air across the majority of the island has remained high.