Volcano Erupts Destroying Cape Verde Villages

The eruption of the volcano Pico do Fogo has destroyed two villages and threatens a forest reserve.

Around 1,500 people fled their homes before the lava flow reached the villages of Portela and Bangeira on Fogo Island, Cape Verde, fire brigade chief Arlindo Lima said.

"The lava front, (which was) more than 500 metres north of outlying houses in Bangeira a week ago, has swept over much of the village and continues to move forward," Mr Lima added.

Both villages have now been largely destroyed according to officials.

After the first eruption on 23 November more than 1,000 people were evacuated from the Cha das Calderias region at the foot of the volcano.

The volcano then quietened down for four days, however signs of the eruption became apparent again last weekend when residents saw gas coming out of the crater.

Interior Minister Marisa Morais called on residents not to panic saying, "The eruption was very fast. But we are appealing to the people for calm."

Authorities have also warned those living in the village of Fonsaco to be prepared to leave as the lava advances, while they fear for the Monte Velho forest reserve in close vicinity of the volcano.

"There’s a whole local economy and a whole way of life that the volcano has claimed in the space of just 22 days," Arlinda Neves, a local journalist, said after the villages of Portela and Bangeira were destroyed.

"It’s more than a century and a half of history that has literally been wiped out."