Is Netflix's La Palma based on a true story? Real Disaster Inspirations Explained

Netflix's new limited series, La Palmacenters on a family on vacation and several geological researchers who are forced to consider questions of survival when a natural disaster hits the Canary Islands. The series follows Jennifer and Fredrik and their children as they arrive in La Palma for the Christmas holidays, while at the same time geological researchers, Marie and Haukur, realize that the data indicates that an eruption could have wide-ranging, catastrophic results. .

Following in the footsteps of other gripping films and TV shows about natural disasters, such as Dante's Peak and The Impossible, La Palma incorporates family drama and action. Characters struggle to stay in touch with their loved ones while trying to survive. Netflix's new TV series is exciting and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. Despite negative reviews from some audience members for its unrealistic plot, the series became immediately popular as an alternative Christmas-watching that takes place around the holidays but is not festive.

La Palma is not based on a true story

But the island setting is a real place

Netflix series La Palma is not based on a true story, but La Palma is a real location and there have been eruptions there in the past. La Palma is one of the Canary Islands located in the North Atlantic Ocean and is a popular vacation spot, so it makes sense for the show to take place there. La Palma Take advantage of the island's natural beauty and use its real volcano as a disaster center.

Furthermore, La Palma'is inspiration from the real eruptions that occurred on the island help ground the series with a factual basis about the after-effects of a natural disaster like a volcanic eruption. The most recent eruption of La Palma's Cumbre Vieja occurred in 2021, but there are eruptions from this ridge dating back to 1470, proving that there is some historical basis for the events in the series. Furthermore, when it comes to shows about natural disasters, some level of creative freedom is expected to add entertainment value to the show.

The La Palma Disaster is inspired by real scientific research into the volcanic activity of La Palma

The series is a dramatization of the research results

In addition to inspiration drawn from the real Cumbre Vieja eruptions, Netflix La Palma was also inspired by scientific research surrounding the possibility of a megatsunami following a volcanic eruption. Geologists have hypothesized that material falling quickly into the ocean could lead to a tsunami that would have repercussions as far as the east coast of the United States (via University of California, Santa Cruz). As portrayed in the series, the eruption could lead to waves 50 meters high that crash onto the coasts of several countries.

Although the Netflix limited series is modeled on the worst-case scenarios that geologists have theorized, La Palma It's undeniably fun. Fortunately, these predictions seem unlikely to come true, as the volcano has only erupted eight times in the last six centuries. However, La PalmaThe depiction of characters struggling to stay safe in horrific conditions, combined with stunning visuals of the volcano erupting, will leave audiences hooked and wanting more.

Source: University of California, Santa Cruz