The eruption of the volcano on the island of La Palma in Spain could last up to three months, experts said today, the Associated Press reported.

Scientists from the Institute of Volcanology in the Canary Islands said that based on calculations of the duration of previous eruptions in the archipelago, the current eruption could last up to 84 days. Like the current eruption, the previous ones were accompanied by powerful flows of slow-moving lava and prolonged seismic activity.

Lava rivers, in places up to 6 meters high, have engulfed nearly 190 buildings, most of them houses in rural areas on the island of La Palma. Now the lava is moving slowly to the coast, where more people live, and because of this last night, about 1,000 people were evacuated from the town of Todoke. Emergency teams yesterday tried to divert lava from homes using excavators to open a new route. It is unknown at this time whether the attempt will be successful.

The volcano also spews between 8,000 and 10,500 tons of sulfur dioxide a day, which can damage the lungs.

/BTA