Sharjah24 – Reuters: A volcano on Spain's La Palma island began ejecting lava again on Monday after a lull, while hundreds of people in coastal villages hunkered down in anticipation of lava emitted in previous days reaching the sea and releasing toxic gas.

Spurts of vivid lava emerged from the Cumbre Vieja volcano in the early evening and snaked down the dark mountainside after a period of several hours without explosions, according to Reuters witnesses.

The hiatus and new explosions came eight days after lava started pouring from the mountain range on the island, which neighbours Tenerife in the Canary Islands archipelago off North Africa.

"Activating and deactivating is logical, natural in the evolution of Strombolian volcanoes," said Miguel Angel Morcuende, director of the Pevolca response committee, referring to the type of violent eruption that emits incandescent dust.

His Pevolca colleague, Maria Jose Blanco, said lower levels of gas and a reduced supply of material within the crater could have caused the drop in activity.