Merry Christmas… now run!
The plot of the new Netflix disaster series La Palma revolves around the fact that millions of Scandinavians travel to the Canary Islands every year. Because many people have vacation days around this time anyway, it’s the perfect time for a little getaway for the whole family.
For one little Norwegian family, it’s a Christmas tradition. In a year with no lockdown or other issues keeping them home, they do what they’ve done for so many years; Head to the island of La Palma and check into their favorite hotel.
Unknown to everyone on the island, a natural danger lurks beneath the idyllic setting of the Canary Islands. Specifically, the island this family is on.
Working with volcanic activity – or rather, keeping an eye on this and learning about this volcanic island – is a young Norwegian scientist. Working with an Icelandic scientist (people from Iceland definitely know about volcanos), she discovers alarming signs that disaster could be underway.
The volcano located in the heart of the island, appears to be unstable. If the volcano erupts, people on the island could be doomed. But also, a mass the size of Manhattan could break off and fall into the sea. This would cause the largest tsunami the world has ever seen.
The anatomy of a volcanic eruption
Watching La Palma, I realized I didn’t know much about volcanic eruptions. Now I do, and you never know when that kind of knowledge can become important, so I’m storing that in my memory bank.
First, toxic gas will seep out and kill those up in the mountains. This is also why you shouldn’t seek higher ground when a tsunami warning comes after a volcanic eruption. The gas will kill you before the tsunami reaches you.
Next, ash will come from the mountain which will disrupt air traffic, so you cannot get away as fast as you would like.
Finally, the actual eruption with lava will come and chaos will ensue. Everyone must fight for survival and no matter how much you want to help people, not everyone can or will survive.
The La Palma series centers on the Norwegian family, who have plenty of issues within the family as well. Fortunately, love isn’t one of them, but even love can’t help you against a massive volcanic eruption.
Will the family manage to escape the disaster of gas, ash, lava, and a lurking tsunami in a fight for their lives? And can the scientists at the volcanic center convince their colleagues that the worst-case scenario is upon them so an evacuation can be ordered?!
