A volcano on an uninhabited Galapagos island has erupted, potentially threatening various animal species, as the lava was seen spilling into the sea.
The La Cumbre volcano on the island of Fernandina erupted late on Saturday, and continued to overflow with the hot liquid into Sunday, the South American country’s Geophysical Institute said. The dark night has been illuminated by the scorching orange hues of the lava.
The volcano stands at 1,463 meters (4,799 feet) high, on the Galapagos archipelago, which is home to some flora and fauna not found anywhere else in the world. The island sits 1,000 kilometers – 600 miles – off Ecuador.
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La Cumbre has erupted three times previously since 2017.
It has the highest eruption rate of all volcanos in the archipelago, which usually sees tourists flock to the area via short visits from a cruise boat.
The island has no restaurants or hotels so doesn’t have guests stay more than a number of hours.
It’s home to an endemic species of terrestrial yellow iguana, and in 2019, a species of turtle scientists believed was extinct was found. Penguins and flightless cormorants also live on the island.
The volcano is one of the most active in the Galapagos Island chain, which is famous for helping British scientist Charles Darwin develop his theory of evolution in the 19th century.
La Cumbre blew a gas cloud which reached around three kilometers into the air, and although dispersed by the wind, it didn’t pass over other islands where people live, the Institute added.
At the time, officials were not sure if lava would reach the sea, but new videos show it has started spilling off the coast into the shore.
Previous data suggested the next eruption would be greater than those in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
Authorities have advised tourists to stay away from the area.
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