Undoubtedly, one of the most important and most attention-grabbing events in the year 2021 was the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano. The volcano of La Palma erupted after 50 years of inactivity.
Cumbre Vieja volcano eruption announced to be over
Today, after 85 days and 8 hours of activity, the Government of the Canary Islands announced the end of the eruption. It was precisely on Christmas day when, after 10 days of remaining inactive, the end of the igneous activity was made official.
However, authorities warned that the dangers still remain. This latest eruption of the La Palma volcano was the longest in the island’s history. However, the end of the eruption does not mean that the exclusion zones will disappear. They will remain in force for a long time to come, both on land and at sea.
The results are devastating on the island
Although, what did the volcano leave behind after its eruption. Repairing and rebuilding the damage caused by the force of nature will take decades. Although the foresight that was taken meant that no deaths occurred, the damage is terrible. More than 7,000 people had to be evacuated. Of these, 600 are still living in hotels because of the total loss of their property.
Some 3,000 buildings and structures were totally destroyed. The lava emanating from the volcano covered an area of 1250 hectares. When the lava finally reached the sea, it created two new peninsulas. In one of them, it added 44 hectares to the island and in the other one, 5 hectares.
However, the damage caused by the Cumbre Vieja volcano does not end there. There are damages that will be irrecoverable, such as the one caused to tourism. The three months of total paralysis of all activities can never be recovered. As is well known, tourism is a crucial and vital source of income for the island, and it is vital for its strengthening year after year.
The economy of La Palma was seriously affected
In addition to tourism, another source of income for La Palma’s economy was its banana plantations. These plantations represent 50% of the island’s GDP. The lava destroyed a large part of these plantations, so it is a lethal blow to the economy of many inhabitants. Ten percent of the territory of La Palma is used for agriculture. According to the authorities, the damage caused by the lava to the plantations amounts to about 900 million euros.
The danger is still latent and the reconstruction will take a lot of sacrifice and time. The Spanish government, which closely followed the evolution of the volcanic activity, promised its help. No one expected the eruption that began on September 19 to be so long and disastrous. However, man is often powerless against natural forces. All that remains is to gather strength, hope, faith and start again.
