The first person died in a volcanic eruption on the island of Palma | News from Germany about Europe | DW

It became known about the first human sacrifice since the beginning of the eruption of the volcano Cumbre Vieja on the island of Palma, write on Saturday, November 13, the Spanish media. El Mundo newspaper writes that a 72-year-old man was removing volcanic ash from the roof of a house in the southern part of the island and the building collapsed under the weight of the ash.

The eruption has been going on for almost two months, since September 19. The island of Palma has been declared a disaster zone since September 28. Lava flows covered an area of ​​1,018 hectares and completely destroyed more than 1,450 homes, and over 7,000 residents were forced to evacuate. The airport on the island is closed due to the natural situation.

The beginning of the eruption of Cumbre Vieja was preceded by a series of small earthquakes. For several days, about 6,600 small and medium aftershocks were recorded on the island. The magnitude of the strongest of them was 4.2. Prior to this, the volcanic eruption on the island of Palma took place in 1971.

See also:

• The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Ash cloud

  The eruption of Mount Agung in northeastern Bali began over the weekend. As a result, nearby resorts and villages were covered with a thin layer of ash. Dark gray clouds over the top of the volcano were visible in the island’s capital, Denpasar, and even from the neighboring island of Lombok.

• 

  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Lava flow ejection

  As night fell, a bright glow from the crater illuminated an ash cloud that rose 6,000 meters above the summit of Mount Agung. It began showing signs of activity back in September, prompting local authorities to raise the volcano’s hazard status to emergency and evacuate 140,000 people living nearby. However, later, on October 29, the danger level was lowered.

• 

  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Highest point in Bali

  The Agung volcano is 3142 meters high and is the highest point of the island. As a result of gas and ash emissions, the work of two airports at once was stopped – on the island of Bali and on the neighboring island of Lombok.

• 

  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Paradise under the ashes

  Bali Island is the main tourist center of Indonesia. Beautiful ocean beaches, temples and lush forests attract about 5 million tourists a year. But according to Made Sugiri, a spokesman for the local Mahagiri Panoramic hotel, the number of visitors has dropped in recent months: “We are out of the danger zone, but, like other resorts in the region, of course, the eruptions are causing an outflow of tourists.”

• 

  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  “Still Safe”

  The Indonesian Emergency Management Agency points out that Bali is “still safe” for tourists. The agency said in a statement that over the weekend, the emergency status for Agung remained at 3 (one point below the highest hazard indicator). At the same time, despite a number of eruptions, volcanic activity remains relatively stable.

• 

  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Airports closed

  The situation was different with the status of air travel over the island – on Sunday, November 26, the level of danger here reached the highest – red – mark. Although many flights continued to operate, hundreds of people were stranded. As a result, the airport on the island of Lombok was first closed, and then the main international airport Ngurah Rai in Bali.

• 

  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Exclusion zone around the volcano

  As a result of the latest lava outbursts, about 25,000 people have fled their homes. The authorities urged everyone inside the exclusion zone within a radius of 7.5 kilometers from the volcano’s crater to evacuate immediately. Mount Agung is one of over 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia. Its last major eruption, which happened in 1963, killed more than a thousand people.

• 

  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Magma and ash

  Volcanologists described the renewed activity of the Agung volcano on November 25 as a phreatic explosion, that is, an eruption with evaporation of smoke caused by the heating and expansion of groundwater. On November 26, authorities said that, judging by the settling of the ash, a magmatic eruption had already begun.

• 

  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Bali precautions

  “Mount Agung is still spewing ash, but we need to watch closely and be prepared for a more powerful, explosive eruption,” warns Indonesian volcanologist Gede Suantika. Soldiers and police are handing out protective masks to people in nearby villages and resorts.

  Author: Elena Barysheva

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