Small earthquakes shake Spanish island as scientists warn lava flows 'could last months' 

A new fissure opened after what the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute said was a 3.8 magnitude quake on Monday

Hot lava reaches a swimming pool on the island of La Palma. Picture: Europa Press via AP

Several small earthquakes have shaken the Spanish island of La Palma, keeping nerves on edge as rivers of lava continued to flow towards the sea and a new volcano vent blew open.

The new vent is 3,000 feet north of the Cumbre Vieja ridge, where the volcano first erupted on Sunday after a week of thousands of small earthquakes.