La Palma’s volcano started spewing lava and smoke again on Monday after a short pause, as hundreds of people living near the coast are locked down.
People anticipate the lava will release toxic gases once it races the sea.
Columns of white smoke ascended at 11 AM (10:00 GMT) from the Cumbre Vieja volcano hours after it was calm.
According to Reuters, researchers said the volcano started ejecting lava around the same time.
“It’s something normal with this type of eruption,” Miguel Angel Morcuende, the director of the Pevolca response committee, said.
He added, “The volcano has periods of growth and periods of decay.”
Morcuende’s colleague, Maria Jose Blanco, said the low levels of gas and material in the volcano’s crater could have been the reason behind its calmness.
Black lava has been steadily flowing from the volcano’s western side towards the sea since September 19.
According to the EU’s Copernicus disaster monitor, the volcano destroyed over 500 houses as well as, churches and banana crops.
The Spanish property business Idealista estimated on Monday 178 million euros worth of damage.
The super hot and black lava surrounded a hill in Todoque, western Spain, on Monday.
Although the lava was less than a kilometer from the Atlantic, authorities are not sure when it would reach the water.
Nearly 300 citizens living near the coasts of San Borondon, Marina Alta, Baja and La Condesa have stayed at their homes.
The self-lockdown is because the contact between lava and water is likely to cause explosions and emit toxic chlorine gas.
There were no reports of serious injuries, however, nearly 15% of the island’s banana crops are at risk of burning.
La Palma has a population of more than 83,000 people and is a part of the Canary Islands.
