Terrifying detail of La Palma missing from new Netflix series

If La Palma hasn’t already given you an existential scare, there’s one terrifying detail that’s been left out of the new Netflix series – but there’s no need to panic just yet.

La Palma proved to be the ultimate end-of-year binge-watch, having reached number three on Netflix’s top 10 in the US after landing on the streaming service on Thursday, December 12.

Although the Norwegian TV show is fictional, it is based on a real-life hypothesis: that a chunk of the Manhattan-sized Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palma in the Canary Islands could collapse into the Atlantic Ocean.

In theory, this could cause a tsunami so large that it would reach the east coast of North America and kill millions of people around the world. Scary, right? Well, one forgotten detail concerns a discovery made after the volcano’s last eruption in 2021.

Netflix series La Palma misses this scary detail

The 2021 volcanic eruption revealed worrying details about the island’s magma system: according to a study published in 2022, there is a massive magma reservoir beneath La Palma that demonstrates potential for future volcanic activity.

Dr. Luca D’Auria, director of the volcanic monitoring area of the Canary Islands Volcanological Institute, Involcan, and his team of researchers were able to gain this knowledge by obtaining high-resolution images of the Earth’s interior for the La Palma volcanic eruption.

This was achieved using seismic tomography, a technique that uses seismic data to map underground structures. The images showed that before the start of the 2021 eruption – which lasted 85 days and caused significant damage – magma moved rapidly 10 km below the surface.

According to D’Auria et al, “Our results suggest that this large magma reservoir is continuously fueling the La Palma eruption.” But perhaps most troubling is that it shows how quickly volcanic activity can intensify, raising concerns about future disasters.

But don’t go running for the hills just yet. Although the speed and intensity of the magma’s movement are a stark reminder of the power of nature, there is nothing to worry about at this time.

The La Palma disaster theory does not hold water

Creative Commons

La Palma suffered a volcanic eruption in 2021

Of course, the Netflix series is based on a real theory put forward by Steven N. Ward and Simon Day in a 2001 paper, but experts have since questioned the scale and endurance of a subsequent tsunami as well as the probability of mountain collapse.

That’s not to say it could never happen, with the 2021 eruption reigniting concerns. But it’s not a scenario that should keep you up at night.

As the United States Geological Survey noted, “the Canary Islands ‘mega-tsunami’ scenario assumed a single, coherent, massive collapse that reached high velocity very quickly.

“Mapping the seabed surrounding the Canary Islands, however, indicates that the collapses occur rather gradually or piecemeal.

“Additionally, geomorphologists have discovered, through slope stability analysis, that the potential collapse volume is much smaller than that simulated by the 2001 paper.”

Thanks to advances in tsunami modeling techniques, new simulations suggest that an 82-foot wave reaching the U.S. East Coast, as previously theorized, is unlikely.

Instead, simulations suggest a “worst-case” collapse would result in a wave between three and seven feet, which the USGS says would be “still dangerous, but similar to a common storm surge “.

If you haven’t watched it yet and are feeling brave enough to give it a try, La Palma is now streaming on Netflix. Don’t forget to also check out our roundup of the best shows of 2024, the best horror series ever, and the shocking true story behind Netflix’s The Abyss.