La Palma volcano: New lava channel opens as secondary cone collapses

A new lava channel has opened in La Palma's volcano, according to an expert.

It is thought to be because a secondary cone inside Cumbre Vieja started collapsing on the Spanish island.

It has now been erupting for five weeks and more than 7,000 people have had to evacuate their homes and be moved to safety.

Constant seismic activity is causing lots of small earthquakes, plumes of ash are being sent into the sky and the lava flow is showing no sign of stopping.

Volcanologist Itahiza Dominguez said: "During the night [Monday], part of the secondary cone collapsed and generated a channel through which lava is continuously flowing out.

"We are now seeing moments of activity similar to those we had at the beginning of the eruption, with drastic increases in the emission of material, and we will have to see how it evolves, if this is something momentary or if the volcanic activity remains like this.

"There is nothing that tells us that it could end, there is no data to indicate that volcanic activity is decreasing. So, it is still too early to know it." He added.

Lava from the volcano has covered huge areas of land on La Palma and destroyed 2,000 buildings, including homes, businesses and schools.

Many banana plantations have also been destroyed since the eruption started on 19 September.

Nobody has been seriously hurt or injured by the eruption.