New Canary island rises from the deep

It may be just a matter of time before a new Canary Island emerges from the sea off the coast of El Hierro.

An underwater volcano has bubbled toward the surface off the coast the southernmost island of the Canaries for over a month now, staining the sea green and spewing magma up to 65 feet in the air.

Until recently, the explosive power of the volcano was barely visible from the surface. Now, stones and debris have been seen shooting out of the volcano as it rises toward open air.

The underwater volcano is just over 225 feet from the surface according to Spain's National Geographic Institute (IGN), and many in the Canary Islands are brainstorming names for the new island. Proposed names include "The Discovery," "Atlantis," and "The Beast."

Yet, even if the volcano does surface (as predicted), a new name may not be necessary. Just three miles off the southern coastline of El Hierro, the potential island could easily join up with the existing island over time.

Either way, the anticipation of a rising land mass has people excited. The Canary Islands newspaper La Provincia proclaimed, "The Monster Rises Out of the Water." Meanwhile other Spanish newspapers debate who would take responsibility for the new territory.

Last week, hundreds of residents of El Hierro were once again forced to leave there homes as sulfurous fumes drifted over the land. There have also been 10,000 minor and increasingly shallow earthquakes in the region lately.