Kilometers of beaches, dense forests, impressive volcanoes – the imposing landscape earned La Palma the nickname La Isla Bonita. Today the beauty is covered by ashes. Four weeks ago, the volcano in the Cumbre-Vieja National Park in the south of the island erupted again after 50 years. Since then, a lava flow at over 1000 degrees has made its way into the surrounding villages and relentlessly swallows one house after the other.
One of them belonged to Danica W. * (38). 15 years ago she emigrated to La Palma and settled with her partner Victor D. * (49) in the small town of Todoque. Where her dream house stood a month ago is now only lava and ash. 7500 people had to be brought to safety in the last few weeks, that is almost ten percent of the almost 85,000 inhabitants of La Palma.
“Suddenly we heard a loud bang”
The volcanic eruption had announced itself over weeks with smaller earthquakes. “You could feel it, you woke up during the night,” says the mother of two. Her voice trembles when she thinks back to the eruption: “During the last earthquake, you had the feeling that the house was shifting – suddenly we heard a loud bang. We ran into the garden, saw the explosion and the cloud of smoke. ” Then it was clear to them: They had to get out of here as soon as possible.
“We hadn’t packed any suitcases, just the most important papers ready because the authorities had expected the outbreak to take place further south,” says the Swiss woman. A week beforehand, the relevant communities had been informed – “of all people who were hit in the end, but not”.
The family gets in the car and drives off. «There was a mile-long traffic jam. Nobody knew how fast the lava would reach the place. It was total chaos, ”she recalls.
Call for donations for a new start
In the first days after the outbreak, the family, accompanied by the fire brigade or the military, is allowed into the house for 15 minutes to save their belongings. “We regularly checked with binoculars whether our house was still standing.” It looks good for three weeks, but suddenly the volcano is spewing lava and ash again: “We knew then, that was it.”
Danica W. and her family have stayed in their brother-in-law’s apartment and are trying to distract themselves as much as possible. «The children are going back to school. That at least brings some normality. ” They do not yet know how to proceed. “Fortunately, we are insured and now have to clarify all the formalities.”
To make the new start easier for the family, her sister Rena started an appeal for donations. Danica W .: “I can’t believe that people you don’t really know take their time and help us. I am overwhelmed by the solidarity. “