The Volcanic Eruption Poses Local Risks
Just hours after the mass evacuations, Spain’s tourism minister Reyes Maroto called the eruption a “wonderful show” and said the islands were safe to visit. But for those on the ground, it’s a different story. Mariano Hernández Zapata, the island council president, told El Pais the eruption has been “devastating” and that the lava flows are “eating up the houses, infrastructure, and crops that it is finding on its path toward the coast in the valley of Aridane.”
At least 20 homes have been destroyed so far. Lava is moving at around 2,300 feet (700 meters) per hour, and though the flows are in sparsely populated areas, the risk for more destruction remains.
