The Canarian authorities have ordered the containment of more than 33,000 inhabitants of La Palma, one of the islands of the Canary archipelago, because of the toxic fumes emanating from the Cumbre Vieja volcano, which erupted almost three months ago.
Particularly high levels of sulfur dioxide, above the alert threshold, were measured in the air, forcing the authorities to act quickly. The inhabitants of the municipalities of Los Llanos de Aridane, El Paso and Tazacorte, which represent 38% of the population of the island, are therefore subject to confinement since 8.45 a.m. this Monday morning and until further notice.
The government of the Canaries has called on the population to confine themselves, by closing all doors, windows and other openings, even to insulate them well by filling in the spaces with adhesive tape, and to take refuge in the most interior rooms. possible dwellings. The citizens concerned must also turn off their ventilation and heating system, or any other mechanism that circulates air from the outside.
ATENCIÓN # ErupciónLaPalma # Infovolcán
#PEVOLCA ordena el CONFINAMIENTO de la población en Los Llanos de Aridane, El Paso y Tazacorte por la situación de la calidad del aire Extremadamente Desfavorable, por dióxido de azufre asociada a las emisiones de la actividad volcánica pic.twitter.com/1mPhGY6eSp
– 1-1-2 Canarias (@ 112canarias) December 13, 2021
“If you find yourself outside, be aware that a car is not a safe place and confine yourself in the first building you find,” the authorities added.
Another directive from the local government: do not use your telephone, in order to leave the communication lines free for the emergency services in the event of an emergency.
The Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted on September 19 for the first time in more than 50 years. If the lava flows caused no casualties, they still caused heavy damage on the island, burning everything in their path, and more than 7,000 people were evacuated.
