A volcano has erupted on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma, prompting authorities to speed up evacuations for more than 1,000 people as lava flows destroyed isolated houses and threatened to reach the coast.
A huge plume of smoke rose up after the eruption at 3.15 pm local time in the Cumbre Vieja national park, the Canary Islands government said.
Massive red plumes topped with black-and-white smoke shot out along the volcanic ridge, which scientists had been closely watching following the accumulation of molten lava below the surface and days of small earthquakes.