Overall Orange Volcanic eruption alert for La Palma in Spain from 19 Sep 2021 00:00 UTC to 15 Dec 2021 00:00 UTC

GDACS is a cooperation framework between the United Nations, the European Commission and disaster managers worldwide to improve alerts, information exchange and coordination in the first phase after major sudden-onset disasters.

Overall Orange alert Volcanic eruption for La Palma

in Spain

Event summary

Volcanic eruption La Palma is expected to have a medium humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Name:	La Palma
Lat/Lon:	28.57 , -17.83
Event Date:	15 Dec 2021 00:00 UTC
Exposed Population 30km:	About 91000 people within 30km
Exposed Population 100km:	About 130000 people within 100km
Max Volc. Explosivity Index VEI:	2
Population exposure index:	4
Inserted at:	15 Dec 2021 10:13 UTC

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.

Historical Timeline

Volcano Timeline

ID	Date	Eruption Details	Source
1	19 Sep 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC intense lava fountains ongoing.	JRC
2	21 Sep 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing intense lava fountains.	TOULOUSE
3	24 Sep 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC with ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
4	27 Sep 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission weakening.	TOULOUSE
5	28 Sep 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing eruption.	TOULOUSE
6	29 Sep 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
7	30 Sep 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
8	05 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing eruption.	TOULOUSE
9	07 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash eruption.	TOULOUSE
10	08 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash.	TOULOUSE
11	11 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
12	12 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
13	13 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
14	14 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
15	15 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
16	19 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
17	20 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
18	21 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing eruption.	TOULOUSE
19	22 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
20	25 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
21	27 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
22	29 Oct 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
23	02 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
24	03 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing strong ash emission.	TOULOUSE
25	04 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
26	05 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
27	08 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
28	11 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
29	12 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
30	15 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
31	19 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
32	22 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
33	25 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
34	29 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
35	30 Nov 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
36	01 Dec 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
37	02 Dec 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ongoing ash emission.	TOULOUSE
38	06 Dec 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC low ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
39	07 Dec 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC low ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
40	09 Dec 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC ash emission ongoing.	TOULOUSE
41	15 Dec 2021 00:00	Eruption at 2021-09-19 14:10 UTC no ash emission.	TOULOUSE

Exposed population

The eruption happened in Spain , Autonomous Community of Canarias (population 790,897) . The nearest places are Malpaises, Las Caletas, Mazo, Puerto Naos, Las Indias, El Paso, Fuencaliente, Breña Alta, Los Llanos, Tazacorte, and Garafia.

Radius	Population
100 km	130000 people
75 km	93000 people
50 km	92000 people
30 km	91000 people
20 km	85000 people
10 km	26000 people
5 km	<1000 people
2 km	<1000 people

Detailed event map. European Union, 2025. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Affected Provinces

Region Province	Country	Population
Canarias	Spain	790000 people

Affected populated places

Name	Region Province	Country	City class	Population	Distance
Malpaises	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	5 km
Las Caletas	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	7 km
Mazo	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	7 km
Puerto Naos	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	8 km
Las Indias	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	8 km
El Paso	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	7000 people	10 km
Fuencaliente	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	10 km
Breña Alta	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	10 km
Los Llanos	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	17000 people	11 km
Tazacorte	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	5700 people	12 km
Los Llanos de Aridane	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	12 km
Santa Cruz de la Palma	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	City	17000 people	14 km
Tijarafe	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	2600 people	15 km
Puntallana	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	2400 people	20 km
Los Sauces	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	25 km
Puntagorda	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	1600 people	27 km
El Tablado	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	28 km
Barlovento	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	2300 people	29 km
Garafia	Canarias (Canary Islands)	Spain	Village	-	30 km

see full list

Critical infrastructure

Airports, ports, nuclear plants and hydrodams at risk, if affected, are listed below.

Airports

Name	IATA Code	Elevation (m)	Usage	Runway type	IFR	Runway Length (ft)	Distance
La Palma	SPC	33	Civ.	Paved	Yes	7200	10 km
Hierro	VDE	31	Civ.	Paved	Yes	4100	84 km
La Gomera	GMZ	218	Civ.	Paved	No	4900	85 km

Ports

Name	LOCODE	Country	Distance
Santa Cruz de la Palma		Spain	12 km
Valverde		Spain	84 km

Dams

Nuclear plants

Tsunami impact

Click on image to zoom it.

Tsunami affected locations

Initial conditions

More information

For a full list of available products related to this event, please refer to the GDACS Resources page.

Disclaimer
While we try everything to ensure accuracy, this information is purely indicative and should not be used for any decision making without alternate sources of information.
The JRC is not responsible for any damage or loss resulting from the use of the information presented on this website.
The designations employed and the presentation of material on the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Union concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.