Volcanoes in motion: El Hierro & La Palma islands

Abstract

We explain the geological history of the island of El Hierro and the 2021 eruption in the island of La Palma through a collection of ten panels. How the Canary Islands were formed and evolved is contextualized, and we introduce the birth of El Hierro. Next, we observe the landscapes of El Hierro as a response to macro-scale, such as giant landslides and rifts, and micro-scale phenomena (cones, lavas, and shore platforms). The last eruption of the island that gave rise to the Tagoro submarine volcano is also exposed. In addition, we present how the Herreños have adapted to the territory, knowing how to take advantage of its scarce water resources and adapt their way of life to the volcanic landscape, achieving that the entire island was declared in 2000 a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and Geopark in 2015. Finally, we expose the 2021 eruption of La Palma island.