The terrifying La Palma detail missing from the new Netflix series

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As a seasoned gamer and survivor of countless apocalyptic video games, I can confidently say that La Palma has me reminiscing about those virtual disasters rather fondly. The Netflix series might have sent shivers down your spine, but as someone who’s battled zombies, alien invasions, and nuclear holocausts in my gaming life, a mere tsunami seems like a walk in the park.

If La Palma hadn’t already filled you with existential dread, there’s a terrifying detail that’s left out of the new Netflix series – but there’s no need to panic just yet. 

The Spanish series “La Palma” has become a popular choice for end-of-year binge-watching, rapidly climbing to the third spot on the US Netflix Top 10 chart just days after it was added to the platform on Thursday, December 12th.

The Norwegian television series may be a work of fiction, but it’s centered on an intriguing concept: a theory suggesting that a section of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, comparable in size to Manhattan, could potentially break off and plunge into the Atlantic Ocean.

In theory, such a volcanic event could potentially trigger a tsunami so massive that it might wash ashore on the East Coast of North America, leading to catastrophic losses of life worldwide. Interestingly, there’s an important factor that was uncovered following the volcano’s last eruption in 2021 that hasn’t been fully addressed.

Netflix series La Palma misses this chilling detail

2021’s volcanic eruption on the island unveiled alarming aspects of its underlying magma structure, as per a study released in 2022. It appears there exists a vast magma reservoir beneath La Palma, hinting at the possibility of future volcanic activity.

Dr. Luca D’Auria, head of the volcanic monitoring sector at the Canary Islands Volcanological Institute (Involcan), and her team of researchers managed to gather these insights by acquiring detailed images of Earth’s interior during the La Palma volcanic eruption.

This analysis was conducted using seismic tomography, a method that utilizes earthquake information to create images of subterranean structures. Before the onset of the 2021 eruption (which lasted 85 days and inflicted substantial damage), the imagery revealed that magma had been swiftly ascending from approximately 10 kilometers deep towards the surface.

According to D’Auria and colleagues, their findings indicate that the ongoing eruption on La Palma is being sustained by a vast magma reservoir. However, what makes this particularly concerning is that it demonstrates how rapidly volcanic activity can intensify, raising alarms about potential future catastrophes.

But don’t go running for the hills just yet. Though the speed and intensity of the magma movement are a stark reminder of nature’s power, they’re nothing to be concerned about for now.

The La Palma disaster theory doesn’t hold water

The Netflix show is inspired by an actual theory proposed by researchers Steven N. Ward and Simon Day in a 2001 article. However, some specialists have raised concerns about the feasibility of the suggested tsunami, its magnitude, and the mountain’s ability to sustain such a collapse, according to recent studies.

While it’s not entirely impossible given the recent 2021 eruption, there’s no need for undue worry or sleepless nights about this particular event.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the “mega-tsunami” hypothesis for the Canary Islands envisions a large, unified, and heavy landslide that moves rapidly at great speed.

Mapping of the ocean floor near the Canary Islands suggests that underwater landslides don’t happen all at once but rather gradually, in small sections over time.

Further investigation by geomorphologists revealed through slope stability analysis that the actual collapse area is significantly less than what was predicted in the 2001 study.

The recent progress made in tsunami modeling has led to new predictions indicating that a 82-feet high wave hitting the Eastern coast of the United States, as earlier hypothesized, seems improbable.

As a gamer, I’d rephrase that as: The simulations hint at a potential catastrophic event, where the sea level could rise anywhere from three to seven feet. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) assures us that this would be somewhat comparable to usual storm surges, but still poses a significant risk.

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2024-12-16 17:21