La Palma eruption
The island of La Palma also registers a 4.8 earthquake, the largest since the eruption
The eruptive mouth that opened last Friday about 300 meters south of the main cone of the Cumbre Vieja volcano, on La Palma, began to emit pyroclasts this Wednesday, according to the National Geographic Institute (IGN). There is no record of castings originating from this new eruptive mouth at the moment.
The island of La Palma has also suffered another night of tremors. An earthquake in the municipality of Villa de Mazo at 10:48 p.m. of 4.8 magnitude was felt throughout the island, according to the National Geographic Institute (IGN). It is the seismic movement with the highest intensity since the eruptive phenomenon of Cumbre Vieja began and is classified as strong on the macroseismic intensity scale.
The earthquake, the largest recorded during the volcanic crisis on La Palma, has had its hypocenter at a depth of 39 kilometers. However, and according to data from the National Geographic Institute (IGN), seismic activity on the island had decreased slightly in the last few hours compared to days in the past.
Until now, the highest intensity reached 3.9 magnitude and had its epicenter in Fuencaliente, 37 kilometers deep.
Confinements when the laundry reaches the sea
Meanwhile, the eruption continues and keeps the residents of San Borondón, La Condesa, Marina Alta, Marina Baja and the nucleus of Tazacorte on alert. All of them will be confined once again when the stream that runs south of La Laguna Mountain, reaches the coast from which it is currently separated by just a hundred meters.
When the wash reaches the sea, the confinements will be carried out “in anticipation of the emission of gases produced by the contact of the lava” with the water. This was announced in the latest report from the Department of Homeland Security (DSN), issued at 8:00 am.
Regarding the air quality of the last hours, the thermal inversion layer will continue at low levels until next Friday the 22nd, which will prevent the dispersion of gases and particles in suspension, with greater intensity in the municipality of El Paso, according to data from the DSN.
The end of the eruption is still “far away”
On the other hand, the spokesperson for the Pevolca Scientific Committee and director of the National Geographic Institute (IGN) in the Canary Islands, María José Blanco, has acknowledged that it is still not possible to speak of the end of the volcano’s eruption in the short or medium term, despite that sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates have been declining in recent days.
The SO2 emission rates have been decreasing in recent hours, as indicated by the Volcanological Institute of the Canary Islands (Involcan), but they have clarified that values would have to be reached lower than the data recorded today (9,938 tons) for it to be may go so far as to say that the eruptive process may come to an end.
In addition, the spokesperson for the Scientific Committee has reiterated that “we are still far” from that happening, since values are being recorded that, although lower, can still be classified as high. For his part, the technical director of Pevolca, Miguel Ángel Morcuende, specified that although amounts may seem somewhat lower than those of the past few days, these are underestimated values and that they are still “well above” what could be the beginning of the end of volcanic activity.
Regarding the lower activity registered today in the broadcasting center, the spokesperson for the Pevolca Scientific Committee recalled that already on September 27 there was a total stoppage of the tremor signal and the visible signs of surface and finally “didn’t mean anything.” In fact, then “more visible and more explosive” phases began than the previous days, so it can be something “ephemeral” and that it resumes the previous activity.
La Palma Airport operates normally
The eight airports in the Canary Islands are operating at the moment, according to Aena sources, who nevertheless advise passengers to check with their airline the status of their flight, especially in the case of La Palma.
Precisely, the Mazo Airport has suffered the cancellation of two flights with Madrid this morning, although at the moment it is operating normally thanks to the favorable evolution of the weather conditions.
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