This video shows the hellish landscape atop the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of La Palma after a team of scientists ascended to the main cone for the first time since the eruption started.
The team made its way up to the edge of the main cone of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the north-westernmost Canary island for the first time since the eruption began on 19th September.
The team journeyed up the smouldering volcano on Wednesday (15th December) to collect data on gas emissions.
It is the first time anyone has been to the edge of the Spanish volcano’s main cone, which stands at a height of 188 metres (617 ft), since the beginning of the eruption, which is ongoing.
The volcano was smouldering when the team arrived at the cone’s edge. However, as late as this Monday, it was spewing out ash and lava.
(Instituto Volcanologico de Canarias/Newsflash)
The scientists took the opportunity to film around, as seen in this footage showing a hellish, desolate landscape, with the raging wind clearly audible in the background.
As of yesterday (16th December), no lava, ash or pyroclasts had been spewed out by the volcano since Monday, and there has been a drastic decrease in sulphur dioxide emissions.
The Volcanology Institute of the Canary Islands (INVOLCAN) has said these are signs the eruption is finally coming to an end.
The official end to the eruption, which has killed one and reached 3 (‘catastrophic’) on the Volcanic Explosivity Index, is expected in around nine days’ time.
A scientific team has climbed to the main cone of the Cumbre Vieja volcano for the first time to collect data on gases and has filmed images of the interior of the crater in La Palma, Canary Islands on 15th December 2021.
(Instituto Volcanologico de Canarias/Newsflash)
A scientific team has climbed to the main cone of the Cumbre Vieja volcano for the first time to collect data on gases and has filmed images of the interior of the crater in La Palma, Canary Islands on 15th December 2021.
(Instituto Volcanologico de Canarias/Newsflash)
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: William McGee, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
