Canary Islands tourist warning: More than 5,000 people evacuated after volcano eruption
MORE than 5,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and hotels on the Canary island of La Palma due to a volcanic eruption which started earlier today.
Volcano erupts on Spanish Canary Island of La Palma
The Spanish Government has advised against travelling to the Canary Islands.
However, at the time of writing, all the airports continue to operate without disruption.
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La Palma airport has said the air traffic is not closed, but explained airlines will ultimately decide whether to fly to the Canary Islands or cancel the flights.
Only one flight from Tenerife to La Palma was diverted earlier today.
Although the airport continues to operate, the smoke could potentially affect the visibility in the upcoming hours.
The UK Government said: "On Sunday September 19, 2021, at approximately 15:15 local time, there was a volcanic eruption on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma.
"The immediate area of Cabeza de Vaca, El Paso has been evacuated.
"If you are in an affected area you should follow the advice of local authorities, including social media updates from Cabildo de La Palma.
"If you are planning to travel to the island imminently you are encouraged to contact your tour operators / airlines."
The volcanic eruption in 'Cumbre Vieja', in the area of Cabeza de Vaca, has seen over 5,000 evacuated today.
An evacuation plan designed by the Canary Islands Volcanic Emergency Plan is currently underway.
The volcanic eruption alert has gone from yellow traffic light to red.
According to the Civil Guard, the evacuation affects more than 5,000 people from different districts in the areas of El Paso, Tazacorte and Los Llanos de Aridane.
Britons with a holiday planned to the Canary Islands have been advised to postpone the trip or check with their airline or travel operator.