Five years after the Tajogaite volcano stopped erupting, La Palma is still waiting for the disaster to end in practical terms. Families remain in prefabricated homes. Volcanic gases continue to restrict habitation in Puerto Naos and La Bombilla. The emergency ended on 13 December 2021, but its effects still shape housing, health and daily life on the island.
The eruption began on 19 September 2021 and lasted 85 days. Lava buried almost 3,000 buildings, destroyed crops and erased entire neighbourhoods, forcing around 7,000 people to evacuate. It also changed La Palma's field, extending the island into the sea. The lava field covered 1,219 hectares. Final damage assessments record 2,988 destroyed structures and 1,345 homes lost.
The physical destruction tells only part of the story. The lava flows swallowed homes, roads and banana plantations, along with personal memories. Economic growth alone cannot repair that loss.
La Palma's economy has surpassed its pre-2021 growth levels, but thousands of people still live with the consequences. Public investment, including support from the Government of Spain, has yet to provide a permanent housing solution for every displaced family. Five years on, temporary accommodation remains a clear sign that rebuilding has moved more slowly than the news cycle. Reports published for the anniversary put overall reconstruction progress at about 60%. Housing and infrastructure remain incomplete in some areas.
The greatest uncertainty persists in places where people still cannot return. Puerto Naos and La Bombilla were evacuated and remain partly restricted because of volcanic gases. Firefighters and other officials continue to test the air. In September 2026, authorities authorized residents to return to 1,182 homes in Puerto Naos and 65 homes in La Bombilla. Those permissions depend on monitoring volcanic gases and following established safety protocols, so they do not yet amount to a complete return to normal life. Residents are still waiting to reclaim their homes and the routines that came with them.
The human cost is less visible, but just as real. A scientific study by the Research Unit of Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria examined the mental health of La Palma's adult population after the eruption. In the months that followed, almost half of those assessed showed signs of post-traumatic stress. Anxiety and insomnia were also reported.
The next task is to determine which effects have persisted through the five years since the eruption. Economic indicators cannot tell the whole story while residents continue to deal with displacement, fear and the psychological effects of losing their homes.
Coverage during the 85 days of the eruption was exceptional. Millions followed reports from an island where lava and ash swallowed municipalities, streets and schools, along with businesses and roads. Public and private media recorded historic audiences. Then the cameras disappeared, just as families who had lost everything began the harder work of starting again.
The pattern is familiar from other housing crises. Once immediate attention fades, people without stable homes must keep dealing with the consequences away from the headlines, as shown by Madrid's housing crisis. On La Palma, the problem is more acute because the missing homes are directly tied to a field that remains dangerous in some areas.
RTVE's anniversary coverage reported that dozens of families were still living in temporary modular or prefabricated housing five years after the eruption. Some cases had remained unresolved for particularly long periods. Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo said the regional government remained committed to La Palma and to achieving the island's "full recovery". The housing backlog shows the gap between that goal and residents' daily reality.
Economic activity has improved, with growth in tourism and other sectors. That recovery has not lifted the restrictions around Puerto Naos. In September 2026, new rules also took effect for self-employed workers whose activity was affected by the eruption. Post-crisis support continues years after the lava stopped. Official anniversary events and civil-protection courses showed that Tajogaite's effects remain on the public and political agenda.
Five years later, the volcano is inactive, but recovery remains unfinished. The Tajogaite eruption destroyed buildings and livelihoods in 85 days. Rebuilding a sense of certainty has taken far longer. La Palma's residents still need sustained housing support, mental health care and public accountability. An emergency does not end when the cameras leave or the crater falls silent.
