La Palma authorities recover 80% of cemetery niches after lava removal

Authorities in Los Llanos de Aridane and the Cabildo of La Palma have completed the removal of approximately 30,000 cubic meters of lava from the Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles cemetery in Las Manchas. This operation follows the 2021 volcanic eruption of Tajogaite, which affected roughly 65% of the site.

The recovery efforts have successfully restored 1,212 of the approximately 1,500 niches impacted by the lava flows, representing a recovery rate of over 80%. Due to the delicate nature of the funerary structures, workers had to proceed with extreme precision to avoid further damage while locating and accessing individual graves.

While the majority of the site has been reclaimed, officials noted that approximately 288 niches from the former communal cemetery could not be recovered. The completion of the lava removal marks the end of one phase of the project, allowing for new interventions aimed at fully restoring the facilities and improving the cemetery's infrastructure.