A year after the volcanic eruption on the Canary Island of La Palma, the population is still suffering from the enormous devastation. On September 19, 2021, the volcano, now known as Tajogaite, erupted with a massive explosion. The outbreak did not end until shortly before Christmas 2021.
On the first anniversary of the eruption, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reiterated the support of the central government. “We are working to rebuild the island,” he wrote on Twitter on Monday. “We stand for La Palma.”
Many still live in emergency shelters
At least 7,000 people had to leave their homes because of the lava flows, which reached temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees; 3,000 could never return because the buildings were destroyed. Many of them still live in temporary shelters, hotels and with relatives or friends.
The main seaside resort resembles a ghost town
Tourism, which had already suffered badly from the corona pandemic, was also badly hit. The island’s main resort town, Puerto Nao, remains a ghost town today as it is still not allowed to enter due to the high levels of carbon dioxide in the air. La Palma has so far been spared from mass tourism. The best year so far was 2017 with a total of 300,000 guests, the largest group of which were Germans.
Experts say it will take years for the island to recover from the effects of the volcanic eruption in the mild Atlantic climate off the west coast of Africa, home to some 3,000 Germans.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
