‘Volcanic eruptions are like cats’: the La Palma volcano explained

Posted on October 3, 2021 by Admin

The ongoing eruption in the Canary Islands has raised concerns over cancelled holidays and a potential tsunami. Here a volcanologist weighs the risks

On 19 September, after 50 years of magmatic quiescence, the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma roared back to life. Ash speckled the sky, and molten rock cooking at 1,075C (1,967F) oozed from several fresh fissures and cascaded down the volcano’s western flanks in the form of hadean rivers, ploughing through houses and farms with insouciance. Fortunately, thanks to the work of local scientists and emergency services, thousands of people were evacuated ahead of time, and no deaths have yet been reported.

So, what happens next? What new threats will emerge from the volcano? How long will this go on for? And why would anyone want to live in the shadow of such a menacing volcano in the first place?

Canary Islands added to UK travel corridor list

Posted on October 22, 2020 by Admin

Holidays to the Spanish islands will be on sale in time for half-term. The Maldives, Mykonos and Denmark also added to list

Last-minute holidays to the Canaries will be back on sale in time for a half-term getaway after the islands were added to the UK travel corridor list.

Holidaymakers will be able to visit any of the eight main islands in the archipelago without the need to quarantine for 14 days on their return. The move comes into effect from 4am on Sunday (25 October), the transport Grant Shapps confirmed on Twitter on Thursday.

Spain or the UK: where are you safer from coronavirus?

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Admin

Spain has criticised the UK’s restrictions on the grounds parts of Spain have low infection rates. What do the figures say?

Sudden changes to travel guidelines between the UK and Spain have provoked criticism from the Spanish government and upended travel plans between the two countries for thousands of travellers. Here are some of the key figures that indicate how Covid-19 is being managed in the UK and Spain.

Anger grows among Britons on holiday as lockdowns block returns

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Admin

Stranded British travellers decry Foreign Office assistance and ‘exorbitant’ replacement flights

Thousands of British holidaymakers could find themselves stranded abroad, as flight cancellations, travel restrictions and lockdowns due to the global coronavirus pandemic complicate their journeys home.

As many as 100,000 tourists may still be in Spain, despite a near-total lockdown and government orders that all hotels be shut down within the week. Recent days have seen the epidemic in Spain spiral into one of Europe’s worst, claiming more than 1,000 lives.