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ARCHIVED - Volcano tourists cause major disruption on La Palma
Visitors have been flooding the Canary Island to get a first-hand look at the devastation caused by the volcanic eruption
While Spain has been celebrating small victories over the rejuvenation of the travel sector this summer, the Canary Island of La Palma has been inundated with ‘volcano tourists’ who have proved to be a serious hindrance to recovery efforts on the first weekend after the eruption of Cumbre Vieja on Sunday September 19. Although the La Palma airport remained closed on Saturday and Sunday and the resulting ash cloud is still disrupting many flights, firefighters working on the island reported an influx of curious visitors wanting an up-close look at the destruction.
In addition, before flights were cancelled, tourists were reportedly paying upwards of 500 euros for a plane ticket to get to the island while stranded residents crowded the port to escape the danger zone.
Security and emergency sources have likened the flood of tourists to hikers insisting on climbing snow-capped mountains when the authorities have warned them it is dangerous, only to clog roads and distract personnel whose efforts are better spent elsewhere. Guardia Civil on the island have complained about the increased number of cars on the road, as well as hotel and apartment beds which could be used for displaced residents being taken up by sightseers and journalists.
“People are not aware of how dangerous this can be,” a Guardia Civil source stressed.
As a result, authorities on La Palma have restricted access on a number of roads, such as the stretch between the Padrón roundabout and the Maderas la Rueda roundabout, where only residents and emergency vehicles are permitted to reduce risk and ease the flow of traffic.
Así avanzaban las coladas en el día de hoy / This is the way the lava flows were moving today pic.twitter.com/OUKnnhb1D3
— INVOLCAN (@involcan) September 26, 2021
Image: Involcan
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