(CNN) — Authorities ordered evacuations in two towns on the Spanish island of La Palma on Wednesday night after lava from the volcano sped dangerously close to them, but said on Thursday residents could return home to retrieve some belongings.
The Canary Islands emergency services said in a tweet late Wednesday that the evacuation order affected some “40 to 50 homes” in various areas in the cities of Tazacort and Los Llanos de Ariadne.
The island council of La Palma tweeted on Thursday that residents of the affected areas can return with the authorities to quickly clear their belongings.
It’s a sight that has been repeated many times since the September 19 eruption of the Cambre Vieja volcano, which has so far forced the evacuation of more than 6,000 people.
Officials said the lava has destroyed more than 807 hectares of land, more than a quarter of agricultural land and destroyed more than 1,950 homes.