Volcano eruption: Lava pours out in Spain's Canary Islands for first time in 50 years

Between 5,000 and 10,000 of residents fled their homes on Spanish Canary Island of La Palma after a volcano erupted, sending lava shooting into the air and streaming in rivers towards houses.

The volcano erupted after a weeklong buildup of seismic activity, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands as lava destroyed isolated houses.

Regional authorities confirmed that the evacuations have begun in the wake of the eruption, which began at 3:12 pm on the Cumbre Viejo volcano.

The eruption came after a week in which over 20,000 earthquakes were measured on the La Palma Island.

La Palma, is one of eight volcanic islands in Spain’s Canary Islands archipelago off Africa’s western coast.

Earlier, 4.2-magnitude quake was recorded before the volcanic eruption, which took place in an area known as Cabeza de Vaca on the western slope as the ridge descends to the coast.

Video footage showed fountains of lava shooting hundreds of metres into the sky, and at least three incandescent orange rivers of molten rock pouring down the hill, tearing gashes into woods and farmland, and spreading as they reached lower ground.