Canaries, volcano eruption: fear of toxic gases in La Palma

Eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano, the Cabildo of La Palma, the local government of the Canary Island, has recommended not to leave the house to citizens who live in the areas near Tazacorte, where the lava has reached the ocean and where it could be released toxic gases. The appeal was made via social media, where it is specified that access will be allowed to areas of the Canary Island that have been evacuated. The entrance of the lava flow into the waters surrounding the island of La Palma is forming a dense cloud of water vapor, as El Mundo writes. The Volcanic Emergency Plan of the Canary Islands (Pevolca) recalled that volcanic ash can have negative effects on health, both at the respiratory and ocular level, as well as skin irritation. But so far “the eruption of the La Palma volcano has not affected the quality of the air, which is perfectly breathable,” said the Cabildo de La Palma. “The devices for measuring the presence of gas carry out periodic measurements on this parameter and have not recorded values ​​considered harmful”, he assured. The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, explained in an interview with Cadena Cope that there are “enormous damage to streets and houses”.