The story of Cumbre Vieja

The ridge beneath you is alive. Cumbre Vieja is an active volcanic ridge running roughly north to south along the southern half of La Palma, its crest and flanks pitted with dozens of craters and cones. For about 125,000 years, every eruption on land here has come from this 25-kilometre ridge.

Historical eruptions are recorded in 1470, 1585, 1646, 1677, 1712, 1949, 1971 and 2021. The 1949 eruption began on 24 June, the feast of St John, so in Spanish it is called the eruption of San Juan. During it, two strong earthquakes shook the island and a crack about two and a half kilometres long opened along the summit; part of the ridge's western half apparently slipped a metre sideways and two metres down towards the Atlantic. The latest eruption began on 19 September 2021 near Cabeza de Vaca.

Its lava destroyed thousands of buildings before pouring into the ocean and enlarging the island. On 25 December 2021 the eruption was declared over.