Spanish authorities have declared the volcanic eruption on the Canary Island of La Palma over.
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They do so after ten days of inactivity in the Cumbre Vieja volcano. It writes the Spanish newspaper The country Christmas day.
The eruption has lasted for over three months, and it is the most devastating eruption in modern history in the Canary Islands.
It was September 19th that the outbreak started, which led to thousands of residents having to leave their homes.
On its way, the lava from the volcano has devoured entire houses, roads and caused enormous destruction. Air traffic has also at times been affected as a result of the eruption.
Although the eruption has been declared over, experts say that activity on the ground on the island continues, and will do so for a long time to come. Thus, the local population has to get used to periodic earthquakes, the newspaper writes.
According to a geologist and volcanologist at the Greek National Geographic Institute (IGN), “perhaps the eruption has stopped, but the volcanic process will continue for a long time.”
–Evacuated 7,000 people
The local community on La Palma must now start rebuilding infrastructure and homes, but large areas of land have also been buried by the lava.
The eruption did not result in any deaths, but 1676 buildings were destroyed, including more than 1,300 homes – which led to more than 7,000 people being evacuated during the period of the eruption.
According to El Pais, more than 2300 of these are directly affected by the eruption.
The first task to be solved now is to provide people with a place to live. The authorities at La Palma have plans to build 100 new homes by the new year.
In addition, modular houses will be built in several settlements that have been affected by the eruption.
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