MADRID (Reuters) -Local Canary Island carrier Binter said on Friday it had cancelled all flights to La Palma due to the volcano eruption https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/canaries-volcano-blasts-lava-into-air-ash-blankets-area-2021-09-23, while Spanish airline Iberia cancelled its only flight scheduled for the day.

       Binter said in an statement that it was forced to halt its operations to and from La Palma as the ash cloud produced by the volcano had worsened considerably in the last few hours.

       The local airline, which had initially only cancelled night flights, said it did not have a time frame to resume operations.

       Only a few flights are still scheduled for Friday afternoon in La Palma, according to the website of Spain's airport operator Aena.

       Since erupting on Sunday, the Cumbre Vieja volcano has spewed out thousands of tons of lava, destroyed hundreds of houses and forced the evacuation of thousands of people.

       A cloud of toxic gas and ash extends more than 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) into the sky, the Canaries volcanology institute said on Thursday.

       It has begun to drift northeast toward the Mediterranean and Spanish mainland, the AEMET national weather agency said.

       Airspace above the island remains open apart from two small areas near the eruption site.

       (Reporting by Emma PinedoEditing by Nathan Allen, Frances Kerry and Louise Heavens)