La Palma: Is the latest disaster series on Netflix based on a true story?

‘La Palma’ is currently one of the most popular series on Netflix in the US. This four-episode limited disaster series is set on the island of La Palma and tells the story of a young scientist, geological researchers, and a family as they face a volcanic eruption.

There is a good chance of you thinking if ‘La Palma’ is actually based on a true story and if the highly active and dangerous Cumbre Vieja volcano exists. To address your queries – La Palma is not based on a true story.

But don’t be disheartened. La Palma is a real place – one of Spain’s Canary Islands. This Spanish territory is home to the infamous active volcano. Cumbre Vieja has experienced multiple eruptions in recent years. The last incident happened in 2021.

La Palma shooting locations and mega-tsunami hypothesis

The theory that Cumbre Vieja could trigger a large tsunami originates from a 2001 study published in Geophysical Research Letters. But the majority of scientists agree that such a catastrophic incident is highly unlikely.

The hypothesis suggests that during a major eruption, a large portion of Cumbre Vieja could collapse into the ocean – consequently generating a mega-tsunami, potentially affecting scores of countries on different continents.

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The Netflix disaster series ‘La Palma’ has been filmed on location in the real-life La Palma. It is a popular destination for nature lovers. Besides La Palma, some scenes are filmed on the nearby island of Tenerife – the most visited island in the Canary Islands archipelago.