Homes have been evacuated and roads closed on the southern-most Canary Island following a government-issued warning about a possible volcanic eruption.
Tremors have been felt on the southern tip of El Hierro, in the Spanish Canary Islands, raising fears of a possible eruption off the coast of Spain.
El Hierro experienced two earth tremors last week alone, while more than 10,000 have been recorded in the past four months.
Map showing the location of the volcano off the coast of El Hierro in the Canary Islands
The regional government of the Spanish Canary Island issued a 'yellow' volcanic eruption alert yesterday - the second on a four-level scale - and closed some hillside roads to avoid injury from falling rocks.
The island has some 500 volcanic cones, and was last shaken by a 4.3-magnitude quake late on Saturday.
New fears over an eruption came after solid material was seen spewing from the sea in the area near El Hierro.
Government officials said smoky magmatic material has again been found in the sea after an underwater volcanic eruption began on October 10.
Eyewitness reports claimed that small explosive plumes and jets could be seen from the ocean surface.
Bubbling under: The island was last shaken by a 4.3-magnitude quake on Saturday, but has been spewing material since, according to witnesses
Others who have seen the volcano site say material is being ejected as high as 20 metres into the air.
New evacuations have also been called for people living on the southern end of the island due to the renewed eruptive activity.
Spanish authorities have also shut down access to La Restinga, a port on El Hierro island.
Ships have been ordered away from waters around the port and aircraft have been banned from flying over the island's southern tip.
La Restinga's 600 residents were also evacuated last Tuesday after volcanic activity began.
The regional government of the Canary Islands says scientists have detected airborne volcanic fragments called pyroclasts rising from the sea off La Restinga.
The government said it awaited scientific reports on the danger posed by pyroclasts, but a research vessel that was collecting samples there has been ordered to desist.
Threatening: A computer-generated image shows the underground volcano off the southern-most Canary Island, El Hierro
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UbQBhRBJ8A"]Im?genes del proceso eruptivo tomadas durante el vuelo del helic?ptero del GES - YouTube[/ame]
Tremors have been felt on the southern tip of El Hierro, in the Spanish Canary Islands, raising fears of a possible eruption off the coast of Spain.
El Hierro experienced two earth tremors last week alone, while more than 10,000 have been recorded in the past four months.
Map showing the location of the volcano off the coast of El Hierro in the Canary IslandsThe regional government of the Spanish Canary Island issued a 'yellow' volcanic eruption alert yesterday - the second on a four-level scale - and closed some hillside roads to avoid injury from falling rocks.
The island has some 500 volcanic cones, and was last shaken by a 4.3-magnitude quake late on Saturday.
New fears over an eruption came after solid material was seen spewing from the sea in the area near El Hierro.
Government officials said smoky magmatic material has again been found in the sea after an underwater volcanic eruption began on October 10.
Eyewitness reports claimed that small explosive plumes and jets could be seen from the ocean surface.
Bubbling under: The island was last shaken by a 4.3-magnitude quake on Saturday, but has been spewing material since, according to witnesses
Others who have seen the volcano site say material is being ejected as high as 20 metres into the air.
New evacuations have also been called for people living on the southern end of the island due to the renewed eruptive activity.
Spanish authorities have also shut down access to La Restinga, a port on El Hierro island.
Ships have been ordered away from waters around the port and aircraft have been banned from flying over the island's southern tip.
La Restinga's 600 residents were also evacuated last Tuesday after volcanic activity began.
The regional government of the Canary Islands says scientists have detected airborne volcanic fragments called pyroclasts rising from the sea off La Restinga.
The government said it awaited scientific reports on the danger posed by pyroclasts, but a research vessel that was collecting samples there has been ordered to desist.
Threatening: A computer-generated image shows the underground volcano off the southern-most Canary Island, El Hierro[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UbQBhRBJ8A"]Im?genes del proceso eruptivo tomadas durante el vuelo del helic?ptero del GES - YouTube[/ame]
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