Is La Palma based on a true story?
A look at the Canary Island volcano eruption of 2021, which Netflix’s latest binge-worthy hit has drawn parallels with.
Look at Netflix’s currently most-watched Top 10 lists and in among all the festive animations, seasonal classics and trashy Hallmark-esque rom-coms starring early ‘00s teen idols, you’ll find a Norwegian miniseries that, despite its December setting, is unlikely to put anyone in the Christmas spirit.
Indeed, while on the surface, La Palma seems like the kind of pure sun-soaked escapism we all needs to help us get through the dark, wintry months, it is, in fact, a tense disaster drama in which the picturesque Spanish island is rudely gatecrashed by a series of earthquakes and devastating volcanic eruption.
So, is there any truth in the nail-biting saga? Well, all the characters, including the central family of four, are entirely from the mind of writers Lars Gudmestad and Rosenløw Eeg.
But while the natural disasters aren’t based on any real-life equivalents in particular, the titular Canary Island did recently feel the full force of a lava-spewing volcano. Here’s a look at what no doubt gave the show some fiery inspiration.
When did the eruption start?
The eruption began on 19th September 2021, 10 years after the Canary Islands last experienced such a disaster in El Hierro, and a full 50 years after La Palma had been hit by one.
It occurred along the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge in the Southern half of the popular summer destination which had been on high alert thanks to the recording of more than 20,000 tremors in the previous seven days.
300 people were quickly evacuated from the forested area of Cabeza de Vaca before a further 700, the majority of which were tourists, were forced to vacate the coastal region of Los Llanos de Aridane.
This number only grew as the volcano became more explosive and far-reaching, prompting officials to raise the alert level to the highest possible, red. And the unpredictability of volcanoes meant that scientists weren’t able to calculate exactly how long it would continue to wreak havoc.
What were the effects?
In total, 7,000 people, nearly a tenth of La Palma’s population, had to flee their homes as the lava flow got bigger and stronger: at one point it spanned 600 metres wide. And many had to do so in only a moment’s notice, with one resident, Ana Guadalupe González, telling Spanish radio that she "ran out of there and left many things, such as our pets".
In contrast, a significant number of locals were forced to stay put thanks to the increase in toxic sulphur dioxide caused by molten rock falling into the Atlantic Ocean and boiling its waters: temperatures reached a colossal 1000 degrees Celsius. According to governing body CSIC, the lava that entered the sea also formed a "low island", which measured 500 metres wide.
1300 homes were reported to have been damaged or destroyed along with numerous schools and churches, while the area’s irrigation systems and road infrastructure was also heavily affected.
Many of the island’s famous banana plantations which provides much of the island’s employment (they count for nearly 50 percent of La Palma’s economy) were ruined. And its tourism industry inevitably took a major hit too as resorts closed and flights were cancelled during a period which reportedly impacted the island to the tune of £760 million.
Remarkably, there were no fatalities reported at the time. In fact, not even a single injury related to the disaster was recorded. However, in 2023, a court ruled that a 72-year-old man whose body had been found in the exclusion zone of El Paso had "died after inhaling toxic gases which certifies that the disaster did claim a human life".
When did it end?
Following a ten-day period of relative calmness, Spanish authorities finally declared the volcano had ended on 25th December, making it the longest-running on the island since records began.
"The best Christmas present," was how the country’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez described the news, which came 85 days after the initial eruption (in comparison, 1971’s lasted just three weeks).
"We will continue working together, all the institutions, to relaunch the wonderful island of La Palma and repair the damage caused," he added as his government pledged approximately £192 million to help rebuild the areas affected.
But the impact on the community will remain long-lasting. Indeed, its tourism has been slow to recover: while 250,000 people used to flock to the island dubbed 'La Isla Bonita,' 2023 numbers were only just over the 81,000 mark.
"I was five years old when the volcano last erupted," resident Isabel Fuentes told Spanish TV. "You never get over a volcanic eruption."
All four episodes of La Palma are now available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month (with adverts) or £10.99 a month (ad-free). Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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