海角大神

In the first few days after the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted, Roberto Leal frantically helped his family evacuate their homes in a rush to escape the spewing gray plumes of smoke and rivers of lava engulfing his isle on the Spanish Canary Islands. But soon, it swallowed up his own lifetime of memories too.

鈥淚 always thought it was going to stop,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut then the town church fell, my uncle鈥檚 house, my parents鈥� house, my brother鈥檚 and sister鈥檚 houses. On the 20th day, mine fell as well.鈥澨�听

Now, he and his extended family have been dispersed across the island in temporary housing 鈥� with little idea of when they might return if ever. 鈥淲here will we go for Christmas? New Year鈥檚?鈥� he asks, his eyes welling.

He joins some 7,000 people who have been forced from their homes since the La Palma volcano shot up from flat ground听on Sept. 19. It has since destroyed more than 1,900 homes and more than 2,000 acres of land, including 600 acres of banana, grape, and avocado plantations 鈥� the island鈥檚 primary economic resource along with tourism.听

Experts estimate that Cumbre Vieja is only halfway through its course, and no one can predict when it might end. On Wednesday and Thursday the area around the volcano registered 124 earthquakes. It鈥檚 creating听a unique set of challenges for first responders and local authorities who are rushing to address immediate needs while the longer-term consequences mount.听

Colette Davidson

Roberto Leal, posing for a photo on Oct. 15, 2021, lost his house in Todoque, La Palma, after lava flattened his entire town. He and his family members have lost eight homes and several banana plantations.

It could be years before the ground cools enough to rebuild, and many whose homes have been swallowed up wonder whether they will ever feel confident enough to return. Amid so many unknowns, islanders are relying on the solidarity of local charities, churches, the military, and neighbors who are scrambling to preserve a sense of home, whatever form that takes.

鈥淐ompletely different this time鈥�

La Palma has seen a swell of volunteerism and donations since the volcano first erupted, some organizing with the Twitter handle #MasFuertesQueElVolcan, or 鈥淪tronger Than the Volcano.鈥� People with second homes or extra rooms are offering their beds; hotels, recreation centers, and schools are also coming forward.

The Red Cross has received 鈧�3.3 million (about $3.8 million) in donations for immediate needs, but they say this relief work is unlike anything they have ever done before. 鈥淥ur aid efforts are completely different this time,鈥澨齭ays Miguel Angel Reyes, a technical coordinator for the Red Cross in La Palma.听鈥淲ith a forest fire or flood, people can go back home after about a week. With this type of emergency, it鈥檚 been a month and we can鈥檛 do anything to stop the volcano.鈥�

Gen. Fernando Mor贸n听Ruiz of the Spanish army, which has provided shelter and emergency services to displaced people, says that 鈥渢he situation of uncertainty and leaving everything behind has been very intense. We want to give people a sense of control and support. When they come (to shelter in army barracks) they can share the same experience as others, and this has provided a sense of resilience against fate and a bit of hope.鈥澨�听

General Mor贸n鈥檚 soldiers听are also working in the exclusion zone, removing ash that has piled up on roofs to heights of 1 陆 feet, to prevent their collapse.听听

Sergio Perez/Reuters

Fernando Quindos, a volunteer with NGO World Central Kitchen, gives bottles of water to Spanish Civil Guard officers at a security checkpoint in a controlled area in La Laguna, as the Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to erupt on the Canary Island of La Palma, Spain.

鈥淲hat can we learn from this?鈥�

The residential hillsides in Tajuya, about three miles from the mouth of the volcano, offer a direct view of Cumbre Vieja, and full audio too. Deafening booms, as the volcano spits out rocks, are incessant. Piles of black ash collect on top of Sandra Riccoboni鈥檚 newly planted potato patches and leave a fine dust on her beloved orange trees.听听

鈥淚t鈥檚 horrid, like having a plane inside my head. 鈥� Sometimes the volcano goes berserk and the house starts to shake,鈥� says Ms. Riccoboni, who has lived in her home for nearly 50 years. 鈥淵ou start crying at night, thinking maybe it鈥檚 your time to go. I鈥檒l have nowhere to live. 鈥� I鈥檓 a bit old to start over again.鈥澨�听

This sense of control lost is something the Rev. Domingo Guerra is trying to help residents in the area sort through. Since the eruption, his church in Tajuya has become a meeting point, remaining open 24/7. Donations have poured in from around the world, and local churches are collaborating to distribute clothes and personal care items and provide floor space to sleep.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so much frustration. People are perplexed about what to do now,鈥� says Mr. Guerra. 鈥淗umans aren鈥檛 owners of the earth, we鈥檙e听the caregivers, and things like this make us seem even smaller. God is asking us, what can we learn from this? What do we really need in order to be happy?鈥澨� 听

That question is measured in the tangible and intangible.听In all, Mr. Leal鈥檚 family lost eight homes, as well as several banana plantations on which they had relied to make a living. The cedar chest that Mr. Leal鈥檚 grandfather handcrafted for his grandmother decades ago was too heavy to carry and had to be left behind, consumed by fiery crimson lava and pulled down the hillside into the Atlantic.听

Some residents already have return on their minds, though. Local architect听Jose Henry Garritano P茅rez, for example, knows what he wants to do once Cumbre Vieja finally calms down, and he says history gives him hope.

Sweeping听a听fine听layer of听ash听from his desk,听he听pulls up听a photo听on his mobile phone听of the land where the听San Juan volcano听struck the south of the island in 1949. It鈥檚 now covered in leafy green trees, growing on soil spread over the lava.

Colette Davidson

Architect Jose Henry Garritano P茅rez, from the town of Todoque, lost his house as a result of the Cumbre Vieja lava flows. He thinks it will be possible to rebuild on that same land in the future.

Mr.听Garritano P茅rez听has the same hopes for Todoque, the neighborhood where his home was among the many flattened by lava from Cumbre Vieja. He is working with architects across Spain to create plans for a natural park, comprising residential areas and agricultural patches currently covered in lava. He says that once it cools, homes can be built and fresh soil can be laid down.听

鈥淲e can do it again鈥�

鈥淲e already live on lava. Towns [in Tenerife] like Garachico are built on lava. People once said that was impossible, but nothing is impossible,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f for some reason people don鈥檛 want to live there again, we can at least do this for agriculture to bring money to the island. Whatever happens, we need to do this.鈥澨�听

Not all experts agree. Some geologists say the ultimate thickness of the hardened lava will determine whether it takes weeks or years to fully cool. Others say the magma will need to be broken up by dynamite in order for the soil to be usable again.

For local photographer Jonatan Rodr铆guez, the notion of home is comforting in this time of uncertainty. Mr. Rodr铆guez says he cried last week as he locked up his house in La Laguna, the latest town to receive an evacuation order, not knowing if he鈥檇 ever see it again.听听

He says if he has to start over and build a new house, he will, but it鈥檚 the daily routine he鈥檒l miss most 鈥� going out to get bread, saying hello to neighbors in the street, playing racquetball with friends. Still, he鈥檚 confident the people of La Palma can restore what has been lost.听 听

鈥淲e have a beautiful expression in the Canary Islands: 鈥榃e鈥檙e made of sea salt and lava,鈥欌�� says Mr. Rodr铆guez. 鈥淚 think if the lava takes my house, I鈥檒l rebuild on the land. We鈥檝e built on a volcano before, and we can do it again.鈥�