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Spain · Stratovolcano

Cumbre Vieja

La Palma

Type
Stratovolcano
Elevation
2426m
Last eruption
2021
Cumbre Vieja
Photo: Lviatour · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Spain
Region
Northern Africa / Canary Volcanic Province
Elevation
2426m
Coordinates
28.570, -17.830
Last eruption
2021
Tectonic setting
Intraplate / Oceanic crust (< 15 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Trachybasalt / Tephrite basanite

Geological summary

The 47-km-long wedge-shaped island of La Palma, the NW-most of the Canary Islands, is composed of two large volcanic centers.

Excerpt from the Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution · Read the full summary on GVP →

From Wikipedia

The Cumbre Vieja is an active volcanic ridge on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain. The spine of Cumbre Vieja trends in an approximate north–south direction, comprising the southern half of La Palma, with both summit ridge and flanks pockmarked by dozens of craters and cones. The latest eruption began on 19 September 2021 in a forested area of Las Manchas locality known as Cabeza de Vaca. Voluminous lava flows quickly reached populated areas downslope, fanning out across settlements and banana plantations, destroying thousands of buildings and ultimately pouring over steep cliffs into the ocean to enlarge the island at several locations. The volcano went quiet on 13 December 2021, and on 25 December 2021, the local government declared the eruption to be over.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

14 recordedGlossary

Record summary

Confirmed eruptions
14
Uncertain eruptions
0
Span of confirmed record
6050 BCE (±1500 yrs) – 2021
Largest confirmed eruption
VEI 3 (2021)
Confirmed eruptions since 1900
3
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
6050 BCE~5781 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?4974 BCE~4705 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?4167 BCE~3898 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1476 BCE~1207 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?400 BCE~131 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?676~945 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1214~1483 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 21483~1752 · 4 eruptions · max VEI 21752~2021 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 36050 BCE4167 BCE2014 BCE131 BCE1752

Detailed timeline

  1. 2021VEI 3Observed
    2021-09-19 – 2021-12-13
    Tajogaite eruption
  2. 1971VEI 2Observed
    1971-10-26 – 1971-11-18
    Teneguia
  3. 1949VEI 2Observed
    1949-06-24 – 1949-07-30
    San Juan, Llano del Banco, Hoyo Negro
  4. 1712VEI 2Observed
    1712-10-09 – 1712-12-03
    El Charco
  5. 1677VEI 2Observed
    1677-11-17 – 1678-01-21
    N & S flanks of San Antonio (Fuentecaliente)
  6. 1646VEI 2Observed
    1646-10-02 – 1646-12-21
    South flank of San Martín (Tigalate)
  7. 1585VEI 2Observed
    1585-05-19 – 1585-08-10
    Tahuya
  8. 1481 (±11 yrs)VEI 2Observed
    1481 – end unknown
    Tacande (Montaña Quemada)
  9. 900 (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    900 – end unknown
    Nambroque II-Malforada
  10. 360 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    360 BCE – end unknown
    El Fraile
  11. 1320 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1320 BCE – end unknown
    La Fajana (Volcán Fuego)
  12. 4050 BCE (±3000 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    4050 BCE – end unknown
    L'Amendrita, Birigoyo
  13. 4900 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    4900 BCE – end unknown
  14. 6050 BCE (±1500 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    6050 BCE – end unknown

Nearby volcanoes

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.