Dec 25, 2021 - Energy & Climate

Spain’s La Palma volcano eruption declared over after 3 months of destruction

Axios

Trees covered by ash expelled by the Cumbre Vieja volcano. Photo: Alexandre Diaz/Europa Press via Getty Images

A volcanic eruption on the Spanish Canary island of La Palma was officially declared over on Saturday, after 10 days of inactivity and three months since the initial explosion, the AP reports.

Driving the news: The lava flow and ash, which stretched a little more than 85 days, destroyed "around 3,000 buildings, entombed banana plantations and vineyards, ruined irrigation systems and cut off roads," per the AP.

The eruption from the Mount Cumbre Vieja volcano forced thousands to flee, but no deaths were reported.
The volcano began to erupt in September after several weeks of seismic activity, with authorities recording an earthquake of about 3.8 magnitude before the eruption.

What they're saying: "What I want to say today can be said with just four words: The eruption is over," regional security chief Julio Perez said Saturday.

Perez said the volcano caused roughly $1 billion in damages, per the AP.

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Spain’s La Palma volcano eruption declared over after 3 months of destruction

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