As a new emission vent formed on La Palma yesterday, volcanic explosions blasted red-hot lava far into the air, forcing the Spanish island's airport to close and prompting huge lines for boats leaving the island.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano, which began erupting last Sunday, has entered a new phase of activity. According to the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute, the new emission vent was to the west of the central vent.

The volcano's cone had cracked, according to the institution. "It's not uncommon for the volcano's cone to fracture during this type of eruption. The cone splits when a crater forms that cannot hold its own weight," according to the institute.

Spanish firemen announced on Friday that they were leaving the region "due to the intensification of explosive phenomena."

As a precaution, the existing evacuations will be extended for another 24 hours.

Since it began erupting, the volcano has spilled thousands of tons of lava, damaged hundreds of homes, and caused the evacuation of nearly 6,000 people.

La Palma is part of the Canary Islands archipelago in the Atlantic, with 83,000 people.

In 1971, it erupted for the first time in 50 years. The duration of this eruption is unknown to scientists.