The story of the “miracle house” of La Palma that survived the eruption of the volcano

The photo of a small house What miraculously survived Al Lava river, after eruption of Cumbre Vieja Volcano, became a tragedy icon which is wreaking havoc in La Palma, Spain.

The structure, located in the middle of a Isle surrounded by jet rock, it was built by the Dutch, There is Monnikendam with her husband and brother-in-law.

It was last Tuesday, as Ada was browsing social media, when she stumbled across the photo and was stunned. The author of this image is Alfonso Escalero, coordinator of productora i love the world, who after capturing the postcard, spread it on social media and immediately went viral, becoming one of the miracle symbols of tragic natural phenomenon, because managed to survive in the middle of the ashes that half of the houses were devoured, including the local school.

Ada Monnikendam and her family moved to the island in 1976, and at that time they were running a family business of construction of individual chalets. Among all, they imagined that Canarian style miraculous house in El Paraíso, only the most affected neighborhood to this day by the lava river from the volcano.

Seeing the photo, Ada did not hesitate and at that moment she communicated with the villa owners. It is Inge and Rainer Cocq, a Danish pensioner marriage who have not set foot on the island since Coronavirus pandemic, because they are octogenarians and fear contagion.

“We all started to cry like crazy when I told them their beloved home was intact”, recalled the Dutch, in an interview she gave in front of the cameras of Espejo Público, from Susanna Griso.

“They told me: ‘Although we can’t go now, we’re relieved he’s still up. We will enjoy it in a while… or we will leave it to our three children, ”Ada said of the conversation she had with the Danish couple.

“They came several times a year, until the virus arrived,” he explained. “Here, they refueled and then returned to Denmark. She was with her plants; He was having fun building walls with stones. They have great friends in El Paraíso who have lost absolutely everything. They are devastated and frustrated to be so far away. They don’t want to talk to anyone because they keep cryingHe commented.

“You can’t imagine how happy Alfonso made me with this picture,” said the Dutchwoman. “Although also It’s sad to know that the house is there all by itself without anyone being able to take care of it. So many people have lost so much … ”.

Ironically, one of the attractions that brought Inge and Rainer to La Palma three decades ago was its spectacular volcanic landscape, an obsession they both shared since they were young. In addition, the search for sun, nature and tranquility.

They even came to mix a retreat to a home in hawaii, also surrounded by volcanoes, but opted for the Canary Islands to be closer to your home country.

“They enjoyed it for 30 years and were very happy here … But now it’s a rash that has soured the last years of their lives,” Ada said.