Eruption of Volcano on Remote Galapagos Island Results in Lava Flow Reaching Ocean
QUITO, Ecuador—A volcano on an uninhabited island in the Galapagos has started erupting, illuminating the nighttime sky as lava cascades down its slopes towards the ocean.
The La Cumbre volcano on Fernandina island began erupting late Saturday evening, with officials from Ecuador’s Geophysical Institute suggesting this could be its most significant eruption since 2017. The 1,476-meter (4,842-foot) volcano last erupted in 2020.
Photos shared on social media by visitors to the Galapagos depict the volcano outlined against a sky ablaze with crimson red.
Although the eruption poses no danger to humans, the island is home to various species, such as iguanas, penguins, and flightless cormorants. In 2019, scientists discovered a giant tortoise on the island that had not been seen in over a century and was previously feared to be extinct.
The La Cumbre volcano is among the most active in the Galapagos Island chain.
