At 14:10 hours on 19 September 2021, the eruption began on the island of La Palma, specifically in the area of Cabeza de Vaca, in the municipality of El Paso, after days of intense seismic activity.
The volcanic origin of the Canary Islands is well known and, for decades, the activity of the whole archipelago has been monitored 24 hours a day by the Scientific Volcanological Committee of the Canary Islands, which makes the necessary predictions, thus guaranteeing the safety of all citizens.
For this reason, just before the terrible eruption of Cumbre Vieja, many people living in the danger zone were evacuated.
Many families lost their homes and their livelihoods. Entire villages were buried by the rivers of lava that the volcano spewed forth relentlessly for three months.
The volcanic eruption officially ceased on 25 December and is now in a phase of degassing and cooling of lava flows.
The island has the youngest territory in Spain and a new appearance in a portion of its territory, reminiscent of the volcanic origin of the Canary Islands.
Throughout those three months, the island received the support and attention of the rest of Spain, which threw itself into helping the people of La Palma by organising the sending of materials, personal belongings and economic resources.
There is still a long road to reconstruction and La Palma still needs a lot of help to start again, to continue.
But we must not forget that the island is much more than the 10% affected by the volcano and invites the world to visit it and enjoy a unique natural space.
The Post Office issues a miniature sheet with a die-cut in the shape of the island's silhouette. In the background, the image of Cumbre Vieja and on the stamp, one of those impressive and beautiful moments, in spite of everything, when on any given night during those three months of hell, the volcano let out all its strength in the form of fire and lava from its interior.
