New fissures erupt in Canary Islands volcano

The erupting volcano on Spain’s Canary Islands has now blown open two more fissures, as the authorities report “intense” activity in the area. The new fissures are about 15 metres apart. 

Miguel Ángel Morcuende, the technical director of the Canary Islands’ emergency volcano response department said that the Cumbre Vieja volcano was “much more aggressive," almost two weeks after it erupted on the island of La Palma. 

Just overnight, scientists recorded eight new earthquakes up to magnitude 3.5.

Also read | Volcanic eruption could last three months in Spain’s Canary Islands, say experts   

Meanwhile, earlier the experts had warned that a volcanic eruption in the Canary Islands could last three months. According to the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute, the eruption on the island of La Palma and its aftermath could last for up to 84 days. 

After looking at calculations of the length of previous eruptions on the archipelago, the institute made the assessment. 

The residents could be at risk of more lava flows, toxic gases, earthquakes, volcanic ash and acid rain. 

The Cumbre Vieja volcano has forced a total of 6,000 people from their homes and destroyed around 100 properties since it erupted on Sunday afternoon.  

In a tweet, the emergency services said that "a new eruptive fissure has opened" and that the "population is being evacuated".