Resilience Rising: Reconstructing Amidst La Palma's Lava Flow

A strong volcanic eruption on the southwestern flank of Cumbre Vieja in La Palma, part of Spain's Canary Islands, caused extensive damage to buildings, banana plantations, and pine forests. Lava flows and ash covered over 12 square kilometers of the island, reaching the coastline. However, in the two years since the eruption, some roads have been reconstructed, reconnecting towns and communities. Sparse trees and shrubs, including the fire-resistant Canary Island pine, have started to grow amidst the deposited ash.