Drone Footage Captures Lava Flows Carving Fresh Path of Destruction Across La Palma

Drone footage from October 17 captured the wide extent of damage caused by fresh lava flow from the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma.

As of Friday, volcanic activity had claimed at least 1,835 structures on the island, according to the European Union’s Copernicus satellite program. Scientists with Copernicus measured lava flows at more than 753 hectares (roughly 2.9 square miles).

The volcano first erupted on September 19 after seismologists recorded a series of tremors the strongest measuring at a magnitude 4.2, earlier that day.

This drone footage, posted by Cabildo de La Palma, the Council of La Palma, shows swathes of land covered in the volcano’s pyroclastic flow. Credit: Cabildo de La Palma via Storyful