Tajogaite volcano buries over 1,500 niches in Las Manchas cemetery

The Tajogaite volcano eruption on La Palma caused significant emotional and material damage, specifically impacting the Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles Cemetery in Las Manchas. A large tongue of magma entered the cemetery, burying or isolating more than 1,500 burial niches out of a total of 2,316 occupied spaces.

The incident caused the loss of 288 graves and left the site without water or electricity services. Local authorities in Los Llanos de Aridane, including official Rubens Díaz Leal, noted that the situation was treated with extreme delicacy and secrecy during the final stages of the eruption to avoid giving false hope to grieving families. Recovery efforts began following municipal decisions made in the final quarter of 2023.