After ten days with no lava flows, seismic activity, or major emissions of sulfur dioxide, officials on one of Spain's Canary Islands proclaimed a volcanic eruption that began in September officially over on Saturday.
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La Palma Eruption Finally Ends
Although La Palma, the most northwest island in the Canary Islands archipelago, has been declared safe, the volcanic emergency committee's director indicated that La Palma's crisis is far from ending because of the massive devastation the eruption caused, according to Phys.org.
"It's not joy or satisfaction - how we can define what we feel? It's an emotional relief. And hope," Julio Pérez, Pevolca director, said. "Because now, we can apply ourselves and focus completely on the reconstruction work."
Around 3,000 dwellings were destroyed, banana fields and vineyards were buried, irrigation systems were wrecked, and highways were shut off by molten lava. However, no one was hurt or killed as a result of the eruption.
Minister of public administration, law, and security Pérez indicated that the archipelago's government has evaluated the destruction of buildings and infrastructure at over $1 billion.
In order to announce the apparent exhaustion of the Cumbre Vieja volcano, experts stated they needed to verify that major variables like gas, lava, and earthquakes had reduced for 10 days.
After erupting for 85 days and 8 hours, the volcano finally became quiet on December 14th, ending La Palma's longest-ever eruption.
Pedro Sánchez, Spanish Prime Minister said the eruption's end was "the best Christmas present."
"We will continue working together, all institutions, to relaunch the marvelous island of La Palma and repair the damage," he tweeted.
The Canary Islands, a favorite holiday spot for Europeans owing to their warm temperature, are mostly dependent on agriculture and tourism.
Evacuated Residents Returned Home
Most of the 7,000 individuals who were forced to flee their homes have already returned, but the ash damage to many of the buildings left behind has rendered them uninhabitable. Some plantations can only be reached by boat due to the fact that numerous roads have been closed.
German couple Jacqueline Rehm and Juergen Doelz had to leave their rented home in Todoque and move on a tiny sailboat for seven weeks as a result of the evacuation order.
Everything they owned, including Rehm's paintings and furnishings, was destroyed by the lava, Rehm's said, adding that they would be moving to Tenerife after the holidays.
Islanders may no longer have to carry umbrellas and goggles to shield themselves from ash, but a massive cleaning job is just beginning.
Some citizens and companies have complained that the government has committed more than 400 million euros ($453 million) for rehabilitation, but the money has been wasting time to arrive.
