13 Nov La Palma Reconstruction – October 2024
La Palma’s Reconstruction: September 2024 Update
News roundup from across La Palma regarding science occurring in La Palma, reconstruction efforts, aid provided to residents and industries, and other relevant news. Sources: La Palma Ahora, Cabildo de La Palma, El Time, ABC España, El Valle de Aridane, El Dia,
Mirame, Planeta Canario, Canarias 7, El Diario, National Geographic
Reconstruction
- Temporary housing issues – The Minister of Public Works, Transport and Housing for the Canary Islands Government has admitted that the temporary modular container homes in La Palma are not up to standard, after 47 out of 85 of them suffered leaks after recent heavy rainfall. He also announced the intention to transfer these tenants to better housing as soon as possible to 42 homes rehabilitated in Breña Baja.
- Updating reconstruction agreement – Los Llanos Aridane is updating its agreement about the financing of the reconstruction with the Spanish Government, following increases to the estimated cost of damage in the municipality. So far, €5 million extra has been granted, although the process is ongoing.
- Government plot for 100 homes – The transfer of three plots of land in Los Llanos, that will be used to build 100 new homes for those affected by the volcanic eruption, is being finalised according to the Canary Islands Government. Across the island, nearly 200 homes for this purpose are being built, according to local councillor Pablo Rodríguez.
- CEIP La Laguna reconstruction – The latest update in the reconstruction of the destroyed infants school in La Laguna has been for the PSOE party to demand that the reconstruction be streamlined by executing it as an emergency project, which would exempt it from many current regulations. With current regulations, it is expected the reconstruction will not begin until the middle of 2025.
- Meeting with Todoque residents – Los Llanos de Aridane City Council and the Cabildo de La Palma have met with residents of Todoque to listen to their requirements and inform them on the reconstruction of the neighbourhood, which was completely destroyed by the lava flow.
- Draft 2025 Canary Islands budget:
- €50 million for recovery – €50 million has been guaranteed for the economic recovery and reconstruction of La Palma in the budget.
- Increased housing budget – The budget for the Canarian Housing Institute (ICAVI) has been increased by 11% in the draft budget for 2025.
- Recovery of roads:
- El Corazoncillo and San Nicolás – El Paso aims to re-connect the El Corazoncillo and San Nicolás roads, and is investing €6.2 million in the project, which will greatly improve road connections around Las Manchas. The work is expected to take 5 months.
- Tazacorte roads – The municipality of Tazacorte has already recovered >2 km of roads to access farms that were isolated by lava flows during the eruption.
- LP-2 – The Government has approved an exemption of environmental impact reports of the recovery of the LP-2 to streamline its reconstruction, however they will require environmental reports every quarter once the reconstruction begins.
- LP-211 – The recovery of the LP-211 old Todoque road is ongoing, with €10.5 million and 10 months allocated for this. Radar studies along the route have discovered a large amount of lava tubes at a specific point of the route, where the new route will have to divert from the original one
Aid
- Expropriation rate inequalities – The rate of expropriation for loss of land expropriated by the authorities for a range of reconstruction activities varies largely between areas. For banana plantations lost, the Canary Islands Government gives €44.06 per square metre, and does not take away the property, and this is the same for plots on the La Laguna-Las Norias road. However, for the coastal highway, the Spanish Government is only offering €20 per square metre for farms that were buried by the lava flows, and the owners lose the right to their land, although undamaged land that was expropriated for the coastal road is compensated at a much higher rate, up to €70 per square metre.
- Current aid totals – The Spanish Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, has stated that currently €1.046 billion has arrived in La Palma related to the 2021 eruption. The majority of this has been used for insurance payouts for those affected.
- New aid for second homes and holiday homes – The Cabildo has offered an additional aid for people who lost their second homes or tourist homes due to the volcano, with €100,000 in total available for this application period.
The Cabildo allocates new aid for those affected who lost their second home and for non-hotel establishments (El Time, 2024)
€30,000 for farmers in Los Llanos – Los Llanos de Aridane has granted €30,000 for individuals to promote livestock farming in the municipality, to alleviate the consequences of COVID-19 and the volcanic eruption. Applications are open until the end of November.No subsidies for Banana cooperative – Volcán de San Juan Cooperative, representing a cooperative of more than 400 small farmers, have alleged that they have been treated unfairly in that they have not been able to receive the same subsidies and financial aid to cover the damage of the 2021 eruption, compared to the large banana corporations on the island such as Cupalma, Europlátano, and Agrícola La Laguna.
- Quarterly economic report for La Palma – A report on the Economic Situation of La Palma in the third quarter of 2024 highlights that the economy is beginning to recover, albeit at “decelerated rates”. According to Director of Consulting and Commercial Management, Corporation 5, José Miguel González, tourism is one sector that could be very productive in helping the recovery of the island.
- More funding for residents’ associations – The Cabildo de La Palma has announced measures to increase the funds of the residents’ associations in La Palma, which are vital for organising social and leisure activities in the municipalities, and thus the social recovery of the island.
- Housing in El Paso – The latest updates for housing in El Paso show €177,000 has been allocated across 23 individuals for the recovery of privately owned homes in the municipality.
Science
- II Vulcana Symposium in Tenerife – The III Vulcana Symposium took place in Tenerife for the 3rd year running at the Oceanographic Institute building in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The focus of the symposium was on emergency management and underwater volcanism in the Canary Islands, and was Co-Organised by GeoTenerife, the Spanish Oceanographic Institute (IEO) and other local authorities. It featured many talks on the latest volcanological research on the islands, as well as panels on communication and emergency management.
- CSIC announces new protocol for scientific advice in emergencies – The Canary Islands Government and CSIC have announced they will sign a protocol of action to allow CSICs experts on volcanic risk to give greater advice that can be used in all branches of Civil Protection and Risk.
- 350 new sensors in Puerto Naos and La Bombilla – 350 new CO2 sensors have been installed in Puerto Naos and La Bombilla, to allow the opening of new open spaces and residential neighbourhoods that still remain confined, or were not as densely monitored before.
- Research on marine community recovery – A research project by the Biodiversity and Conservation Group (BIOCON) of the ECOAQUA Institute of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), looking at the recovery of marine life following the eruption, has set out a framework in improve management of marine communities following natural disasters.
- Tephra deposits analysed – Researchers from IGME have taken ‘peels’ of the tephra stratigraphy of the 2021 eruption using a novel method, with the aim of better understanding the impact of the tephra.
- Mar y Lava – The Mar y Lava fair in Tazacorte, promoted by the Department of Tourism and taking place over 4 days, will among other activities present the latest data on biodiversity in the lava deltas formed by the 2021 eruption.
- Study on rebuilding in volcanic areas – Examples of the reconstruction of La Palma which can be applied in other territories have been published in a study by INVOLCAN and other collaborators in the Canary Islands and USA.
- Geothermal energy on La Palma – ULL and IGME have carried out shallow geothermal surveys in the lava flows from the Tajoigaite lava flows, for feasibility purposes. This is part of the SAGE4CAN project, and will measure temperatures up to approximately 100 m deep.
Other updates
- Testimony from volunteer firefighter – In an interview with El Valle De Aridane, a volunteer firefighter José Roberto Nazco Acosta, has stated how he was briefed by authorities on the morning prior to the eruption that an eruption was ‘imminent’ and could happen ‘in hours’, which is in contradiction to what the population was told during press briefings in the hours prior to the eruption.
- Tourism protests – 15 groups on the island have joined protests on other islands against mass tourism and the current tourist model in the Canary Islands and other parts of Spain, which they argue is highly unsustainable and is harmful to local people and land.
- Lava Delta pipeline fine – The Cabildo de La Palma continues to negotiate with the Coastal Department to attempt to avoid paying the multi-million Euro fine imposed on the previous government for illegal reconstruction of water infrastructure on the lava deltas, which may have to be modified as part of the sanctions.
- An Inhabited Volcano film – The film “An Inhabited Volcano” about the volcanic eruption and its impacts on inhabitants will be shown throughout November across the Canary Islands at special screenings.
- Lava Reefs film – The film “Lava Reefs” focusing on the colonisation of the lava deltas by marine life following the eruption, has been screened in Los Llanos.
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