Source: Xinhua International Headlines
La Palma Island, a small island belonging to Spain but geographically close to the west coast of Africa, erupted on September 19 local time. As of the 24th, the eruption continued.
This is a scene of a volcanic eruption taken on the island of La Palma in Spain on September 23. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Meng Dingbo
The island of La Palma is well known to many Chinese readers for its famous writer Sanmao. The sudden disaster has plunged the picturesque tourist destination into chaos and panic, with more than 6,000 people fleeing their homes and direct economic losses of more than 400 million euros.
The volcano continues to erupt
According to Spanish television, at 15:12 local time on September 19, the old Quembré volcano on La Palma Island erupted. A few hours before the eruption, there was a shallow earthquake of magnitude 4.2.
La Palma is a volcanic island located in the northwest of the Spanish Canary Islands, with an area of 708 square kilometers and a population of about 83,000. The island has had 7 recorded eruptions, the last of which occurred in 1971.
On September 19, a column of smoke formed during the eruption of the old Quembre volcano in the Spanish resort of La Palma. Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of the Spanish Prime Minister's Office)
As of the 24th, the volcano is still erupting continuously. On the same day, two new eruptions appeared on the volcano. The gray plumes of smoke from the eruptions shot straight into the sky and can be seen even on Tenerife, the largest island in the Canary Islands, more than 200 kilometers away.
At present, the lava has destroyed more than 400 houses, covering an area of more than 180 hectares and reaching a depth of 15 meters, and more than 6,000 residents have been evacuated. Due to volcanic ash and smoke, all flights at La Palma Island Airport have been cancelled.
On the island of La Palma in the Spanish canary Islands on Sept. 22, the body of a car was covered with ash from the eruption of the old Quembré volcano. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Gustavo Barente)
"All memories as the house is buried under lava"
"We were the first people to be affected. After the eruption, the lava flowed so fast that I simply didn't have time to go home and get my things, so I had to flee as fast as I could with my son and elderly mother. Almas, who was temporarily placed in the Erfurt barracks, burst into tears in an interview with Xinhua News Agency on the 23rd.
"The only thing I could do was take one last picture of our house with my phone, and all the memories of the house were buried under lava with the house." Armas cried.
People photograph a volcanic eruption on the Spanish island of La Palma on Sept. 23. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Meng Dingbo
The disaster hit the local tourism industry hard. Many hotels and guesthouses in the south evacuated guests after the eruption for safety reasons, suspended business, and many hotels closed.
The reporter and his party called the owner of the homestay to confirm the order information the day before departure, but an old man shouted from the other end of the phone: "No! Without! There is no more here! Our home was buried by lava and we evacuated! I'm sorry, but I'm still bothering to negotiate with the site! Our shop is no longer there..."
Police stopped tourists near The Old Quembre Volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma on Sept. 22. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Gustavo Barente)
In the face of the sudden disaster, the Government of La Palma Island immediately formulated an emergency plan, giving priority to the evacuation of the people and providing the required materials as much as possible. The Government of the Canary Autonomous Region identified the first batch of 280 sets of resettlement houses for the victims on the 23rd, and the second batch of more than 100 sets will be implemented in October.
In addition, civil society contributed money to support disaster relief efforts. Many local people generously lend their idle houses to the victims, and some non-governmental organizations spontaneously set up material donation points in the community. This also includes overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese associations, which have set up donation platforms online and called on overseas Chinese to make modest contributions to the people in the disaster areas.
Looking forward to the revival of Sanmao's "LaBama"
The four seasons are full of spring, the spectacular volcanic ruins, the wonders of the starry sky... La Palma Island attracts many tourists for holidays all year round. In the movie "Midnight Sky" directed by American Hollywood actor George Clooney, many locations were filmed here.
A passenger photographs a volcanic eruption on a flight to la Palma Island in Spain on Sept. 23. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Meng Dingbo
In addition to its stunning beauty, La Palma is also an important producer of "Bananas of Canaria", the second largest producer in the Canary Islands, after Tenerife. Why refer specifically to "Canarian bananas"? Because spaniards are very serious about eating bananas, if you refer to "Bananas" as "bananas", then you will definitely be "criticized" by the locals. Because the "Banana of Canaria" deserves its own exclusive name "plátano canario" and is an officially issued "Protected Geographical Indication".
Chinese readers' knowledge of the island comes mainly from Sanmao's works. Sanmao and her Spanish husband Jose lived in Gran Canaria and La Palma in the Canary Islands and left a lot of memories. In September 1979, Jose was killed while diving on the island of La Palma, where his graveyard is still preserved.
The famous writer Sanmao is home in Gran Canaria, Spain. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Meng Yifei
Sanmao poetically translated "La Palma" into "Rapama" in "Journey to the Seven Islands", and the simple and enthusiastic folk customs of the small island were vividly depicted between the lines: "The beauty of La Palma is still secondary, its human touch makes people feel like returning to their hometown, no matter where we travel, there will always be villagers who are enthusiastic to guide the way... If one day I can choose a hometown for the rest of my life, La Palma will be a good place for me to consider. ”
Right now, La Palma Island is going through tough times. It is believed that through the efforts of all walks of life, this beautiful island will be revitalized.
Reporter: Meng Dingbo, Zhao Min, Alberto Penardo