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We have the sensation of loss of a physical site that for us was a reference and suddenly it has disappeared. Now it's time to process all this ”. The architect Sara Murado (40 years old) arrived pregnant four months ago on the island of La Palma, along with her husband and their one and a half year old son. They came from another island, from Manhattan (New York, United States). They were fleeing a harsh confinement in one of the cities most affected in the world by the covid-19 pandemic and believed they found a kinder life on La Palma, in the Tajuya neighborhood. And suddenly they ran into another lockdown, this time caused by the Cumbre Vieja volcano: “We saw it so close every night, 200 meters away, that they evacuated us twice. It has been a tremendous experience but
now you have to recover. I lived very close to the attacks of September 11, 2001, recently arrived in New York 20 years ago. So I know what I'm talking about… ”, says Sara with a laugh.
For the geologist of the National Geological Institute Stavros Meletlidis (54 years old) visiting the wounds caused by the volcano can help in that recovery: “The volcano is going to stay forever, so I think it is good to give it to the people, learn to live with him and love him ”.
The scientist is aware of the pain that the volcanic event has caused in people.
He was present at the gigantic wash that the secondary cone ejected for several days at the end of November and that mercilessly entered the Tacande neighborhood (El Paso) burying houses, wineries and vineyards.
Now there is only ash.
Meletlidis is cautious when ending the eruption: “It may end in a few days, but the geological phenomenon will last for years.
From the volcano we have learned the most important thing for the future: to avoid human losses ”.
