By Guillermo Martinez and Jon Nazca

LA PALMA (Reuters) – Rivers of lava raced down the volcano and exploded high into the air overnight on the Spanish island of La Palma and the airport was closed as an eruption intensified and entered its most explosive phase so far.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano began to erupt on Sunday, on a small island in the Atlantic. It has since emitted thousands of tons of volcanic lava and destroyed many houses, forcing the evacuation of almost 6,000 people.

The “evolution” of the volcano emergency meant that 160 of those evacuated on Friday from other towns would be prevented from returning to their homes and unable to retrieve their possessions.

Experts stated that the volcano was in an explosive phase.

According to emergency services, Friday night’s statement stated that the volcano had entered a new explosive phase.

Spanish airport operator Aena stated that the airport on the island was closed Saturday.

Due to the ash accumulation, La Palma’s airport has been closed. It tweeted that cleaning tasks had begun, although the situation could change anytime.

La Palma is home to over 83,000 people and it’s one of the archipelagos that make up the Canary Islands.

On Friday, firefighters retreated https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/iberia-binter-cancel-some-flights-la-palma-due-volcanic-ash-2021-09-24 from clean-up work in the town of Todoque, airlines cancelled flights, and authorities evacuated the towns of Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo and the part of Tacande de Arriba that had not already been evacuated after a new vent opened up in the flank of the volcano.

Social media videos showed the massive shockwave that emanated from Friday’s eruption.

No serious injuries or fatalities have been reported in the volcano’s eruption, but about 15% of the island’s economically crucial banana crop https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/farmers-despair-volcano-ravages-la-palmas-banana-crop-2021-09-24 could be at risk, jeopardising thousands of jobs.