WCK on the ground after volcano erupts on La Palma
What began as a series of small earthquakes has now turned into a volcanic eruption on La Palma, one of Spain’s Canary Islands. Erupting on Sunday for the first time since 1971, the Cumbre Vieja volcano has now destroyed at least 200 homes and forced over 6,000 people to evacuate. Lava continues to slowly flow along the coast leading to more evacuations—currently 380 acres of land are covered in lava.
The WCK Relief Team is on the ground providing meals to communities affected and first responders working around the clock. Leading our operations are firefighter Alvaro and local Chef Serafin Romero. Alvaro previously volunteered with WCK during the Filomena snow storm in Madrid.
Serving both lunch and dinner, meals have included sandwiches, fresh fruit, and hot dishes. For first responders working the night shift, Chef Serafin prepared a delicious dinner of Garbanzada a lo Canario—this traditional garbanzo stew from the Canary Island also contained pork and vegetables.
For communities in El Paso and Los Llanos, WCK is partnering with Protección Civil and Correos, Spain’s postal service, to distribute meals to evacuees and emergency crews.
The situation in La Palma remains uncertain, with lava flowing and the possibility of it reaching the sea, concerns are rising over explosions, volcanic ash, toxic gases, and acid rain. Our Relief Team is monitoring the situation and will continue to serve impacted communities as long as we are needed.
To stay up to date on our efforts in Spain, follow WCK on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
