Marco Trujillo and Juan Medina

MADRID, (Reuters) – Lava poured from a crack in Spain’s Cumbre Vieja volcano, creating a new path down the mountainside. A rain of fine ash caused islanders to wear masks and goggles.

Red-hot lava ran downhill from the fissure that burst into existence late Thursday night, approximately 400m (1300ft) away from the eruption site.

Numerous vents have been opened since Sept. 19, when the volcano started erupting. However, the Canaries Volcanology Institute referred to the most recent opening as an “focus of eruption”.

Eduardo Suarez is a volcanologist at Spain’s National Geographic Institute, Tenerife. He said that it wasn’t too soon to know if more houses would be affected by the new flow.

An emergency spokesperson from the Canary Islands said that there were no additional evacuations and the Pevolca volcano emergency committee was reviewing data about the eruption.

Around 6,000 people fled the area since the eruption and many are still away. Over 800 structures, including churches and schools, have been damaged.

Los Llanos de Aridane is one of the most affected areas. Residents have adopted the precaution of carrying umbrellas, and using eye protection to protect themselves from the volcanic dust that has been blanketing streets and floating in their air.

Matilde Gonzalez Tvarez, 45, said that the ash had been irritating her eyes and was making it sting. She was visiting her mother at Los Llanos’ care home.

It’s fear, helplessness and insecurity. “You don’t always know what’s coming,” she stated, as street cleaners cleaned the black ash off her back.

Juan Antonio Perez Gonzalez Gonzalez (56), who owns a floristry shop in the city, is afraid of the worst.

He told Reuters that he couldn’t give good news or put a smile on the situation because it was a calamity. According to him, many residents were packing up their belongings and ready for departure.