Officials lift La Palma lockdown as lava forces new evacuations

More than 3,000 residents of La Palma have been allowed to leave their homes when authorities ended a lockdown ordered after a thick cloud of smoke erupted from a volcano that has devastated the Spanish Canary island.

A stream of red-hot lava gushing from the Cumbre Vieja volcano engulfed a cement plant on Monday, raising clouds of smoke and prompting authorities to instruct people in the area to stay at home.

Emergency services told residents in the towns of El Paso and Los Llanos de Aridane to stay indoors, shut their windows and turn off air conditioning units to avoid inhaling toxic fumes from the burning cement plant as it was gradually swallowed by the lava.

On Tuesday, authorities said the smoke cloud had passed and the air quality had improved so 3,500 residents could leave their homes.

READ MORE: La Palma lava less than 1km away from ocean, feared to cause explosions

Hundreds evacuated as red-hot lava threatens homes

Meanwhile, over 700 residents were ordered to abandon their homes on Tuesday on the Spanish island as red-hot lava advanced towards their neighbourhood.

As the river of molten magma descended from the Cumbre Vieja volcano in the northeast of the Canary Island, authorities ordered between 700 and 800 inhabitants of La Laguna to leave home with their belongings and pets, according to the Canary Islands Volcanic Emergency Plan (Pevolca).

"We have been obliged to evacuate a new area. The lava is advancing slowly. People should have time to take their documents, their personal items and anything of value," said Miguel Angel Morcuende, technical director of Pevolca.

La Palma airport remained open but 11 flights were cancelled on Tuesday and others were delayed, airport operator AENA said.

There were 64 seismic movements on Tuesday, the strongest measuring 4.1, according to the Spanish National Geological Institute.

Lava from the eruption that began on September 19 has laid waste to nearly 600 hectares in total, said Miguel Angel Morcuende, technical director of the Canary Islands Volcanic Emergency Plan.

READ MORE: Volcano erupts on La Palma in Spain's Canary Islands

After the volcano's cone partially collapsed on Saturday, a new river of lava streamed towards the sea, devouring banana and avocado plantations and most of the remaining houses in the town of Todoque.

Torrents of molten rock have destroyed 1,186 buildings in the three weeks since the eruption, the Canary Islands Volcanic Institute said.

About 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in La Palma, which has about 83,000 inhabitants.

READ MORE: Lava destroys dozens of Canary Island homes as volcano erupts