"I'm not scared, the beach relaxes you" - beachgoer in La Palma as volcano erupts

Record ID: 1638951

  • Title: "I'm not scared, the beach relaxes you" - beachgoer in La Palma as volcano erupts
  • Date: 28th September 2021
  • Summary: LA PALMA, SPAIN (SEPTEMBER 28, 2021) (REUTERS) THICK CLOUD OF SMOKE BILLOWING FROM CUMBRE VIEJA VOLCANO VARIOUS OF CLOUDS OF SMOKE BILLOWING FROM BURNING BUILDINGS VARIOUS OF BUILDINGS ON FIRE AND SMOKE BILLOWING VOLCANO AND LAVA STREAM FLOWING DOWN MOUNTAIN / SEA VARIOUS OF VOLCANO SPEWING LAVA VESSEL AT SEA CLOUD OF SMOKE BILLOWING FROM VOLCANO LAVA SPROUT VOLCANO, TOWN, AND SEA VARIOUS OF LA PALMA VIEWS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT TAZACORTE BEACH VARIOUS OF MAN WALKING INTO SEA AND SWIMMING MAN COMING OUT FROM SEA GROUND SHOT OF TAZACORTE BEACH VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SUNBATHING MAN WALKING ON THE BEACH PEOPLE SUNBATHING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LA PALMA RESIDENT, MARIA LOURDES, SAYING: "I'm not scared because I lived through the Teneguia volcano (eruption) so I'm not scared and the beach relaxes you, you know? The beach relaxes you." PEOPLE SUNBATHING COUPLE WALKING INTO SEA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LA PALMA RESIDENT, ESPERANZA MARTINS, SAYING: "No, they haven't said anything (about being on the beach). They haven't closed it or anything else, if they closed it we would not come but the beach is free." PEOPLE ON BEACH VARIOUS OF MAN SEATED DOWN ON AN INFLATABLE PLATFORM VARIOUS OF COUPLE SITTING DOWN ON THE BEACH VARIOUS TOP VIEWS OF TAZACORTE BEACH VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SWIMMING VARIOUS OF CLOUD OF SMOKE ABOVE THE VOLCANO
  • Embargoed: 12th October 2021 15:10
  • Keywords: La Palma Spain Tazacorte beach burning buildings disaster zone eruption volcano
  • Location: LA PALMA, SPAIN
  • City: LA PALMA, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Europe,Earthquakes/Volcanoes/Tsunami
  • Reuters ID: LVA001EWMXB2F
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Beachgoers in volcano-stricken La Palma were not deterred from getting a tan and swimming in the sea as the island was classified as a disaster zone on Tuesday (September 28).
    A few sunbathers took to a near-empty Puerto de Tazacorte beach, which lies approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) from the volcano that is erupting in the Cumbre Vieja national park.
    "I'm not scared because I lived during the Teneguia volcano (eruption) so I'm not scared and the beach relaxes you," said local resident Maria Lourdes as she visited the beach.
    The 'disaster zone' classification by the Spanish government will trigger emergency subsidies and other support measures.
    Reuters footage showed blocks of buildings being burnt after lava reached them as volcano kept emanating clouds of smoke and lava streams.
    The government announced a first package of 10.5 million euros ($12.30 million), which includes around 5 million euros to buy houses, with the rest to acquire furniture and essential household goods, government spokesperson Isabel Rodriguez told reporters on Tuesday.
    Lava has been slowly flowing down the volcano's western flank toward the sea since Sept 19, destroying almost 600 houses as well as churches and banana plantations in La Palma, which neighbours Tenerife in the Canary Islands archipelago off North Africa.
    Hundreds of people in coastal villages remain hunkered down in anticipation of lava emitted in previous days reaching the sea and releasing toxic gas.
    (Production: Marco Trujillo, Miguel Pereira, Miguel Gutierrez)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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