After lying dormant for half a century, the Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palma, in Spain’s Canary Islands, suddenly exploded in a river of fire on September 19, 2021. The eruption lasted for 85 days. No one was killed, but more than 1,000 homes were destroyed, as well as 70 kilometres of roads. Some 350 hectares of banana plantations were covered with lava. The eruption dealt a huge blow to the island’s economy. Almost a year and a half later, around 100 residents are still being housed in hotels and many continue to wait for the financial aid promised by the Spanish authorities. FRANCE 24’s C?line Schmitt and Armelle Exposito report.
