Vegetation area from the access to one of the restricted areas of La Palma affected by the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano (Getty)
The devastating volcanic eruption that has decimated one of Spain’s Canary Islands since September is officially over.
The eruption on La Palma was declared over following 10 days of no lava flows, seismic activity or significant sulfur dioxide emissions.
But the emergency in La Palma, the most northwest island in the Atlantic Ocean archipelago, is not finished.
The director of the Canaries’ volcanic emergency committee Pevolca has spoken of the widespread damage the eruption caused.
‘It’s not joy or satisfaction – how we can define what we feel? It’s an emotional relief. And hope,’ Pevolca director Julio Perez said.
After 85 days of activity, the eruption of the volcano on La Palma came to an end on 25 December. (Getty)
Several firefighters access one of the restricted areas of La Palma (Getty)
A firefighter working in the restricted area (Getty)
Spanish military begin clearing volcanic ash from La Palma
Video Player is loading.
Loaded: 2.75%
0:00
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 2:19
‘Because now, we can apply ourselves and focus completely on the reconstruction work.’
Fiery molten rock flowing down toward the sea destroyed around 3,000 buildings, entombed banana plantations and vineyards, ruined irrigation systems and cut off roads.
But thankfully, no injuries or deaths were directly linked to the eruption.
Perez, who is also the region’s minister of public administration, justice and security, said the archipelago’s government valued the loss of buildings and infrastructure at more than 900 million euros ($1 billion).
According to the latest Copernicus calculation, 1,241.1 hectares have been destroyed by lava (Getty)
This eruption is considered the longest since records have been kept. (Getty)
A dog wanders through one of the restricted areas (Getty)
Volcanologists said they needed to certify that three key variables – gas, lava and tremors – had subsided in the Cumbre Vieja ridge for 10 days in order to declare the volcano’s apparent exhaustion.
Since the eruption started on September 19, previous periods of reduced activity were followed by reignitions.
On the eve of December 14, the volcano fell silent after flaring for 85 days and 8 hours, making it La Palma’s longest eruption on record.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the eruption’s end ‘the best Christmas present.’
Although the eruption has finished, the emergency is far from over (Getty)
A fissure is seen next to a house covered with ash on the Canary island of La Palma (AP)
Several firefighters move access one of the restricted areas of La Palma (Getty)
‘We will continue working together, all institutions, to relaunch the marvelous island of La Palma and repair the damage,’ he tweeted.
Farming and tourism are the main industries on the Canary Islands, a popular destination for many European vacationers due to their mild climate.
Vegetation area from the access to one of the restricted areas of La Palma affected by the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano (Getty)
The devastating volcanic eruption that has decimated one of Spain’s Canary Islands since September is officially over.
The eruption on La Palma was declared over following 10 days of no lava flows, seismic activity or significant sulfur dioxide emissions.
But the emergency in La Palma, the most northwest island in the Atlantic Ocean archipelago, is not finished.
The director of the Canaries’ volcanic emergency committee Pevolca has spoken of the widespread damage the eruption caused.
‘It’s not joy or satisfaction – how we can define what we feel? It’s an emotional relief. And hope,’ Pevolca director Julio Perez said.
After 85 days of activity, the eruption of the volcano on La Palma came to an end on 25 December. (Getty)
Several firefighters access one of the restricted areas of La Palma (Getty)
A firefighter working in the restricted area (Getty)
Spanish military begin clearing volcanic ash from La Palma
Video Player is loading.
Loaded: 2.75%
0:00
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 2:19
‘Because now, we can apply ourselves and focus completely on the reconstruction work.’
Fiery molten rock flowing down toward the sea destroyed around 3,000 buildings, entombed banana plantations and vineyards, ruined irrigation systems and cut off roads.
But thankfully, no injuries or deaths were directly linked to the eruption.
Perez, who is also the region’s minister of public administration, justice and security, said the archipelago’s government valued the loss of buildings and infrastructure at more than 900 million euros ($1 billion).
According to the latest Copernicus calculation, 1,241.1 hectares have been destroyed by lava (Getty)
This eruption is considered the longest since records have been kept. (Getty)
A dog wanders through one of the restricted areas (Getty)
Volcanologists said they needed to certify that three key variables – gas, lava and tremors – had subsided in the Cumbre Vieja ridge for 10 days in order to declare the volcano’s apparent exhaustion.
Since the eruption started on September 19, previous periods of reduced activity were followed by reignitions.
On the eve of December 14, the volcano fell silent after flaring for 85 days and 8 hours, making it La Palma’s longest eruption on record.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the eruption’s end ‘the best Christmas present.’
Although the eruption has finished, the emergency is far from over (Getty)
A fissure is seen next to a house covered with ash on the Canary island of La Palma (AP)
Several firefighters move access one of the restricted areas of La Palma (Getty)
‘We will continue working together, all institutions, to relaunch the marvelous island of La Palma and repair the damage,’ he tweeted.
Farming and tourism are the main industries on the Canary Islands, a popular destination for many European vacationers due to their mild climate.
No comments:
Post a Comment