The Copernicus surveillance system has updated its data this morning (Tuesday), and shows the devastation left by the latest eruption of the La Palma volcano. In its advance towards the sea, which after overcoming the Los Llanos Mountain it will reach today, it has already affected 686 houses and farm buildings, of which 586 are completely destroyed. In addition, the lava has now devastated 22.2 kilometres of roads and the lava covers an area over 258 hectares, which is over 2.5 million m2.
According to catastral values, which are the official valuations by the land registry that rates (IBI) are based on, the total value of destruction of buildings and farming land is now over 200 million euros.
Later today, the Council of Ministers in Madrid will declare La Palma an official ‘Disaster Zone’ which means that emergency aid can be immediately accessed to not only rebuild infrastructures on the island, but to support residents affected by the eruption.
Yesterday the volcano entered a new phase in which it is generating strong strombolian-type explosions again and has formed a large lava flow that is coming from its main cone along the path opened by the previous ones, after a day in the activity which seemed to stop suddenly for a few hours.
Not counting the large amount of lava that has been emitted overnight, this eruption had already exceeded the last one in 1971, with 46.3 million cubic meters of volcanic material in just seven days, while the Teneguía emitted 43 million in 24 days.
The lava is getting closer and closer to the sea and is now only blocked by the mountain of Los Llanos de Aridane which is just 300 metres from the coast. When it has managed to get around, or over this obstacle, nothing will stop it, and it is expected this will happen sometime today.
