A house has survived the destruction of the Canary Island volcano to fly in the face of the awesome, unstopping and random power of nature.
The Cumbre Vieja volcano is spewing out ash and rivers of lava that are destroying all in its path, but somehow, despite the destruction to neighbouring land, one home remained undamaged.
As the ground burnt and the sky darkened with ash and debris, the home, now being called 'Miracle House', avoided destruction.
Spanish photographer Alfonso Escalero snapped the house on a small stretch of land that resembled an island in the lava flow.
Lava has destroyed about 400 buildings in La Palma, many of them homes, on the western side of the island.
It stretches over 180 hectares and has blocked 14 kilometres of roads. There have been 1,130 tremors in the area over the past week as the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge shook with blasts of molten lava that ripped open the mountainside.
Ash is being fired up to 4,500 metres in the air and people are advised to wear masks to protect themselves.
Two rivers of lava slide slowly down the hillside. Both are at least 10 metres high at their leading edge and are ploughing through the houses, farmland and infrastructure in their path. Scientists say the lava flows could last for weeks or even months.
But somehow, Miracle House was not damaged.
La Palma volcano eruption — in pictures
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Lava flows next to a house after the eruption of a volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma. Reuters -
The volcano erupts in the Cumbre Vieja national park at El Paso, La Palma. Reuters -
La Palma, with a population of 85,000, is one of eight islands in Spain's Canary Islands archipelago. Reuters -
The volcano had been dormant for 50 years. Reuters -
Huge plumes of black-and-white smoke shoot out of the volcano. EPA -
The area experienced hundreds of small earthquakes during the week as magma pressed the subsoil on its way out. AFP -
Authorities ordered thousands of residents to leave as lava flows destroyed isolated houses and threatened to reach the coast. AP -
New eruptions continued into the night. AP -
The area near the southern tip of the island is sparsely populated. AP -
Part of the island's south-west coast was at risk of landslides and rock falls, authorities said. EPA
