Eruption of Spanish island volcano declared over after starting in September

Scientists walk near the crater at the Cumbre Vieja volcano (Saul Santos/AP)

Authorities on one of Spain’s Canary Islands declared a volcanic eruption that started in September officially finished on Saturday following 10 days of no lava flows, seismic activity or significant sulphur dioxide emissions.

But the emergency in La Palma, the most northwest island in the Atlantic Ocean archipelago, is not over due to the widespread damage the eruption caused, the director of the Canaries’ volcanic emergency committee said in announcing the much-anticipated milestone.