04 Dec La Palma Reconstruction – November 2023

1,296 farmers forced to return €3.5 million in aid: €3.5 million in aid for loss on income to farmers is going to be returned, because it is understood that mismanagement by the previous institution of the funds lead to many some receiving more aid than they were shown to have lost. This is because these payments had been made based on estimates of damage, rather than definitive data that were available later. The government presents the territorial and urban planning decree:  Summary: This decree, which has been worked on since the eruption ended, has been presented to the affected platforms and neighbourhood associations. This decree will also be followed by a new agricultural decree, and two more decrees on housing and economic development, which will provide the legal framework for reconstruction of the island going forward. Puerto Naos and La Bombilla: Another company has been hired to investigate the origin and situation of the gases, and the island President is hoping to fix a date to move forward.

08 Nov La Palma Reconstruction – October 2023

€100 million for reconstruction: At a meeting in Madrid, the President of the Canary Islands has again pressed the Spanish Government over the delay in the execution of the €100 million in aid included in this year’s state budget for the reconstruction of La Palma. The President has received a commitment to do this from the finance minister of the Spanish Government. The latest figures show that 65 people affected by the volcano remain housed in hotels, almost two years since the eruption ended. The Palmera Ecologist Platform has denounced the use of emergency declarations for many projects relating to post-volcano recovery to skip essential stages of the environmental impact assessment process. The gradual return of residents to some parts of La Bombilla and Puerto Naos, evacuated due to high diffuse CO2 emissions, has been delayed a few days as necessary gas meters are still detained in customs and have not arrived.

12 Oct La Palma Reconstruction – September 2023

Transcripts of PEVOLCA meetings denied: For transparency around the decisions to keep the volcano on yellow alert prior to the eruption, citizens had requested transcripts from PEVOLCA meetings around this time, although this request has been rejected. 95% of the pine trees close to the cone did not survive: Research by CSIC has shown that the pine trees closest to the crater, which may have looked like they were going to survive the eruption, have died. However, they also say that this is part of the normal rhythm of this ecosystem, although it could take decades to fully recover. However, the recovery of ecosystems further away from the cone has been shown to be much stronger and quicker. Reopening timescales for Puerto Naos – The Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, has said the southern half of Puerto Naos beach, which is part of the zone still evacuated due to high diffuse CO2 emissions, could open in ‘a reasonable time’ if the gas measurements are safe. They have agreed on an action plan which hopes to use innovative solutions to ensure a safe return when possible.

06 Sep La Palma eruption – August 2023

PEINPAL restructures: The Insular Emergency Plan of La Palma (PEINPAL), the committee which currently oversees the scientific management of the Volcanic (Level 1) Emergency, is undergoing restructuring. This is said to make it a more participatory forum with more operability and involves incorporating citizens and entities affected by the eruption, who before were not part of the committee. Cooling of the main cone: Thermal drone measurements by INVOLCAN have confirmed that incandescence can still be observed in places, with temperatures in these areas still above 500°C.