Because of hazardous gases emitted by a volcano that has been erupting for months, Spain ordered more than 30,000 inhabitants on the island of La Palma to stay indoors on Monday.
After several days of low-level activity, the Cumbre Viejo erupted with several explosions that sent a massive cloud of ash and smoke into the sky on Sunday.
Due to high amounts of sulphur dioxide in the air, the regional authority of the Canary Islands, which are off Africa’s northwest coast, has ordered residents of three communities to lockdown.
According to the national statistics institute INE, the three municipalities are home to around 33,000 people, or 38 percent of the island’s population.
“Close all doors, windows, and shutters and keep any outside air out,” the regional government urged in a statement.
“If at all possible, confine yourself to the rooms on the farthest interior.”
People should also switch off air conditioning and heating and apply tape to seal doors and windows, according to the authorities.
“If you find yourself outside, keep in mind that a car is not a safe place to be,” the warning said.
Since the volcano erupted on September 19, releasing rivers of lava that have steadily creeped towards the sea, more than 7,000 people have been forced to flee their homes.
According to the EU monitoring organization Copernicus, no one has died as a result of the eruptions, but more than 2,800 buildings have been destroyed.
This is the longest eruption of La Palma, and the third in a century, following eruptions in 1949 and 1971.
