La Palma is one of the Canary Islands. The island chain off the northwest coast of Africa is a territory of Spain. Since Cumbre Vieja roared back to life, more than 7,500 people have been forced to evacuate their homes. No one has been seriously injured, but about 2,000 buildings have been destroyed by the flow of red-hot lava.
The seven main islands of the Canary Islands were all formed by volcanoes. Researcher David Calvo studies volcanic activity in the region. He explains that experts predict how long an eruption will last based on the number of earthquakes in the area. Another indicator is the amount of a gas called sulfur dioxide that the volcano releases. Based on recent tests, Calvo says, “it looks like it’s going to be active for a long time.”