Rivers of lava travel at 6 meters per hour on Spanish island

Santa Cruz de La Palma, Spain, Oct 29 (EFE).- Nearly 40 days since a volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma first exploded, dense lava flows were traveling at six meters per hour Friday.

Out of the three active lava flows gushing from the Cumbre Vieja volcano, the one advancing south and heading towards Puerto Naos was the most destructive, according to the Volcanological Institute of the Canary Islands.

On Thursday it reached a rhythm of up to 20 meters per hour before stabilizing to six meters per hour.

Sulphur dioxide SO2 levels since Wednesday have exceeded the safe threshold with the highest levels recorded at the Puntagorda station, a municipality located north of Tazacorte, El Paso and Los Llanos de Aridane.

Since the volcano erupted on September 19, rivers of molten rock have already destroyed 2,183 buildings with over 100 structures reported to be at risk.

So far, the lava has engulfed 905.46 hectares, the e equivalent of around 1,691 football fields. EFE

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