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All Spain La Palma Volcán de Tajogaite
AO Edited

Volcán de Tajogaite

The longest eruption in the history of La Palma originated with this volcano in September 2021.

La Palma, Spain

Added By
CoolCrab
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The eruption in October 2021   leopoldo de castro / CC BY 2.0
The eruption in October 2021   leopoldo de castro / CC BY 2.0
During the eruption   leopoldo de castro / CC BY 2.0
A satellite view of the lava river on September 30   European Space Agency / CC BY-SA 2.0
Volcán de Tajogaite in December 2021   Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)
View from below in 2022   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Volcán de Tajogaite in March 2022   Annamarie Ursula / CC BY-SA 4.0
The volcano in March 2022   Annamarie Ursula / CC BY-SA 4.0
View from above   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Ashes   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Lava fields in La laguna   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
View from Mirador de Tajuya   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The Canary Islands are all products of volcanic activity, meaning that the many people who live there owe their lives to these natural events. But new eruptions are dramatic, violent, landscape-changing events. La Palma's most recent eruption is no exception. In the fall of 2021, the eruption that originated the Volcán de Tajogaite went on to become the longest in the island's history.

The eruption began on September 19, 2021. In the days before, there had been some low-level activity, small shocks and earthquakes. A little after 2 p.m., loud explosions and a cloud of ash started spewing from the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge. The eruption continued over the next three months, pouring out ever more lava that would stream down towards the sea. It ebbed and flowed, but eventually started to decrease. On December 13, the eruption ended, having lasted for 85 days.

Now the volcano has stopped, but its effects are still very much present, and likely will be for years to come. On its way to the sea, the lava flow destroyed more than 3,000 buildings, including the entire town of Todoque. In the mountains around the volcano, there are tons of ashes coloring the area gray. Below the volcano is a large swath of land that is covered completely in hardened lava. On top of that, this rock is a great insulator and helps keep the lava beneath it hot and liquid for years to come, making it difficult to restore the area.

The source of the eruption was a new vent of the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge. The new vent needed a name, but there is no formal scientific process for naming volcanoes. Several options were considered, and in 2022, it was put to a vote. In July 2022, the winning name was announced: Volcán de Tajogaite, after the Guanche name for Montaña Rajada.

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Natural Disaster Islands Geology Volcanoes

Know Before You Go

There are many volcano hikes and tours offered on the island, but you can also take a look yourself. The best place to see the lava fields is  La Laguna, a good view of the volcano can be had from Mirador de Tajuya and you can look down on it from an area close to the Mirador Astronómico del Llano del Jable. 

Community Contributors

Added By

CoolCrab

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy, KramerMan

  • Michelle Cassidy
  • KramerMan

Published

July 26, 2022

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Sources
  • https://www.abc.es/espana/canarias/abci-volcan-palma-tiene-nombre-volcan-tajogaite-202207041234_noticia.html
  • https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=383010
  • https://apnews.com/article/science-business-environment-and-nature-canary-islands-spain-eade125082d77bc1c8c1bebbde78b04a
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Cumbre_Vieja_volcanic_eruption
Volcán de Tajogaite
Las Manchas
La Palma, 38759
Spain
28.613132, -17.866693
Visit Website

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Photo of La Palma

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