Written by By Staff Writer
Fast flowing lava from Spain’s La Palma volcano continues to wreak havoc more than two months on
La Palma’s La Llanera Crater, above and below, continues to eat away at the island’s stone masonry buildings. Credit: Theodore Young
Fast flowing lava from Spain’s La Palma volcano continues to wreak havoc more than two months on, destroying buildings and killing dozens of animals.
The slow-moving magma has been responsible for stifling life on the Spanish Canary Island over the past months, flattening rock formations and destroying thousands of trees on the landscape. The eruption last July also caused widespread evacuation as concerned locals rushed to get out of the way.
By mid-December, lava had engulfed the 800-year-old Stalactites Satelite Church, the 11th century Church of the Holy Family, a caravan and at least four businesses — including an ice cream parlor, a yacht repair shop and a butcher shop.
A trellis at a restaurant at La Palma Cathedral was destroyed by lava in July 2018. Credit: Theodore Young
At least 40 buildings have been demolished by the lava flow over the past two months, with as many as 40,000 ha of land flattened, according to the Galician Nature Foundation.
The lava has also destroyed mounds of former vegetation, flooding the island’s western coast and the larger Canary Island, and is now moving in on the central landmark city of Las Palmas.
A trellis and orange fencing at a restaurant at La Palma Cathedral were destroyed by lava in July 2018. Credit: Theodore Young
Magma is moving in on the central landmark city of Las Palmas in northern Spain. Credit: Theodore Young
Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of the local population are without access to clean water in the town of La Palma, which is still the worst affected area, as the northern volcano continues to wreak havoc.
The volcano was last active in 1810 and became uninhabitable again from a mixture of earthquakes, and lava and steam in 1912.