LA PALMA (Spain) – Authorities have asked several thousand people to leave La Palma due to worsening air quality. The volcano that erupted on Spain’s island, La Palma, emitted red-hot lava as well thick black smoke clouds.

On Friday, emergency services put in place a lockdown order for residents of El Paso and Los Llanos de Aridane. These are two worst-affected towns.

The emergency services stated that the new lockdown was a result of meteorological conditions, which prevent gases from dispersion and maintain low atmospheric levels. According to them, the lockdown will impact approximately 3500 people.

All affected people were advised to keep doors and windows shut and to turn off heating and air conditioning in order to block outside air.

In the San Borondon and Marina Alta areas, Marina Baja, Marina Baja and La Condesa area lockdowns have already been placed.

Since Sept. 19, when the Cumbre Vieja volcano began to erupt, approximately 6,000 have been forced from their homes.

The island has more than 800 destroyed buildings and has an estimated population of 83,000. It is part of the archipelago that makes up the Canary Islands.

On Friday, lava flowed from a new vent https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/lava-blasts-out-new-vent-la-palma-volcano-2021-10-01 in the volcano, which the Canaries Volcanology Institute described as a new “focus of eruption”.

Miguel Angel Morcuende (director of the Pevolca respond committee) said Friday that the volcano was suffering “intense activities”. However, he said that the eruption was also considered in context with the rest of the island.

“Less then 8%” of the island has been affected by the volcanic eruption. Rest of them are leading normal lives,” he stated.