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La Palma volcano images - photo and video chronology of the eruption 22 Sep - 5 Oct

Updated: Jun 12, 2024 10:22 GMT - refresh

Volcanologist Dr. Tom Pfeiffer, together with other members of the Volcanological Society, followed the eruption on La Palma from close during Sep 22 to Oct 5, 2021. In chronological order, roughly day by day, we start showing selections of images taken during this time in order to illustrate both the evolution and other aspects of the eruption.
While it has been causing a great amount of damage (fortunately mostly economic in nature), these images rather focus on the outstanding esthetic beauty volcanic eruptions often possess.

La Palma's active Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted again on 19 Sep 2021, after 50 years of slumber. Tom Pfeiffer and a small group of friends from the Volcanological Society were lucky enough to be able to reach the island on the 4th day of eruption via a Condor flight from Munich.
During 22-23 Sep, the eruption was characterized by near-continuour, rapidly pulsating and moderately tall lava fountains from the main vent, along with large lava bubble explosions and associated shock waves. Lava effusion continued to occur mostly directly into the main lava tube and lava flow, which continued to mostly spread laterally and thicken in the area of Todoque, rather expanding it than pushing its front much forward towards the ocean. This would change in the course of the week...
(Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: Sep 22-23, first impressions (24 Images)

The activity remained fairly stable until noon of 24 Sep, characterized by sustained tall (4-500 m or more) lava fountaining, generating an eruption column and ash plume that rose 2-3 km, as well as constant lava effusion from the main vent. The latter formed a channeled surface flow that traveled about 1-2 km west from the vent, while a (probably more significant) part was likely directed into lava tubes feeding the flow field further below, which continued mostly to thicken and spread laterally.
The following pictures mostly show the lava fountain and ash plume from various angles at distances from 3-8 km during the morning of 24 Sep. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: Sep 24, lava fountains (52 Images)

Around noon on Sep 24, a series of very strong explosions with shock waves and loud detonations were recorded at the cone; likely this was when the upper conduit inside it became occasionally blocked by large gas bubbles. The increased pressure lead to the opening of two closely spaced vents on the lower NW flank of the cone, from where new lava flows started to erupt.
The opening of these vents was accompanied by the formation of a new collapse crater above the northernmost of the two vents. Similar events were to be repeated in the coming days, and a week later, the flank crater was finally merged with the main crater. The vent at the bottom of this new crater quickly became one of the protagonists of the eruption at that stage: it produced vigorous spattering and was feeding a fast-flowing new surface lava flow that traveled along and enlarged the northern margin of the total lava flow field.
Even with the new effusive activity just tens of meters below, the summit vent continued to produce gas-rich lava fountains from now at least 3 vents close to each other in the summit crater. Initially the height of the fountain seemed to have decreased when the flank vent opened, but later regained in strength again, and continued to reach several hundred meters in height at similar levels as before.
The pictures show the activity from the cone, the lava fountaining and lava effusion from the new flank vent in the evening of 24 Sep. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: Sep 24 - new vent opens on cone (36 Images)

During 25 and 26 Sep, the activity continued with no significant changes - tall lava fountains from the main vents in the cone's summit crater, lava flow emission from the flank vent that had opened on 24 Sep, as well as lava effusion into the main flow presumably through lava tubes.
Compared to 23-24 Sep, the lava fountaining decreased significantly on 26 September morning, only to pick up in the evening again.
The photos were taken from viewpoints to the SW and NW of the vent in the night 25-26 Sep and on 26 Sep morning: (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 25-26 Sep - lava fountains and cone growth (24 Images)

On 26 Sep, the lava fountaining again increased in height. Typically, the principal summit vent produced tall, candle-like roaring jets that rose to up to 1000 m at times. The flank vent remained moderately active and continued to feed the northern lava flow visible in the pictures below from La Laguna. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 26 Sep - candle-like tall lava fountains (16 Images)

Early on 27 Sep, activity at the vents suddenly ceased completely, at least visually. Sporadic mild ash emissions and explosions restarted to occur around lunch, and became more frequent in the afternoon.
By early evening, the pause of the eruption (which might have been caused by a new intrusion at depth, disturbing the existing pathways) ended, as shown in the following sequence of images: (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 27 Sep - eruption pauses and restarts (28 Images)

Activity remained intense throughout the day, with sustained lava fountaining from the flank vent, strong pulsating tall gas-rich fountains from the summit vents and strong lava effusion both into the new flow from the flank vent as well into the main flow, that reached the sea late at night. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 28 Sep - peak of activity (24 Images)

In the late evening of 28 Sep, the main lava flow made a rapid advance to reach the sea and quickly started to build a new delta of land.
At the vents, activity remained more or less the same as during the past days - vigorous liquid lava fountains from the NW flank vent as well as gas- and ash-rich lava fountains from the summit vents. A large surface lava flow from the flank vent remained active and had its front in the area of Todoque. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 29 Sep - lava at the ocean (20 Images)

With a special permit from the Civil Protection, Tom and a few other members of the Volcanological Society were granted short time access to the area in upper El Paraiso close to the vent.
During the day, activity had been at stable levels similar to the previous days, with continuous lava fountains from the flank vent, associated with effusion of several overlapping lava flows, as well as pulsating moderate jets of gas, ash and some lava bombs from the upper vents.
This activity changed short time after we had left in the later evening, with the opening of new vents and new lava flows further to the north of the ones seen here, destroying the places shown or at least making them inaccessible afterwards. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 30 Sep - lava from close (52 Images)

After the opening of a second flank vent on the NW slope of the cone during the previous evening, another effusive vent opened during the night 30 Sep-1 Oct or early on 1 Oct outside the cone, a few 100 m north of it in a depression next to it.
Besides that, activity continued without significant changes with lava fountaining from the various vents at the cone and several active lava flows. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 1 Oct - concentric ash plumes (32 Images)

During 2 Oct, the activity continued without significant changes. At the cone, the flank vents remained active with lava spattering or low fountaining to feed lava flows, while pulsating lava fountaining became again stronger at the summit vents.
The effusive vent north from the cone remained active with quiet lava effusion as well. Favorable wind conditions and a special permit from Guardia Civil provided us with unique observation opportunities from close range. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 2 Oct 2021 - lava flows and fountains (96 Images)

A surge of magma likely caused the northwestern wall of the main crater to collapse, leaving a steep-walled crater valley stretching from the previous summit crater to the area of the former flank vents. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 3 Oct - crater collapse and lava fountains (36 Images)

After the reconfiguration of the vents the day before, caused by repeated collapses of parts of the crater walls, the eruption seemed more stable on 4 Oct. Intense explosive activity continued at decreased level from the vents, with pulsating lava fountains as well as lava effusion from the now breached crater. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: 4 Oct - lava fountains and ash (48 Images)

During 5 Oct, activity remained essentially unchanged, but little wind caused lots of ash and dust being in the air in nearby areas. Lava fountaining was reduced compared to earlier on, although ash emissions remained significant and lava flows continued to advance at various fronts. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021:5 Oct - lava fountains (6 Images)

Our friend and guest on many volcano tours in the past Tilmann Ditting visited the eruption in mid October and shared some of his impressions. (Photo: Tilmann)

La Palma volcano eruption 2021: impressions mid October 2021 (16 Images)

Additional resources

See also:
- Thorsten Boeckel's video and photo pages
- Marc Szeglat's report and photos (Vulkane.Net, in German)

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Sources: VolcanoDiscovery / VolcanoAdventures and other sources as noted.
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