SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 30 (EUROPA PRESS)
The eruption of the La Palma volcano continues this Thursday with “certain stability” thanks to the channeling of the lava flow that goes from the cone to the sea, although air quality is concerned, which at times has exceeded the thresholds sulfur dioxide (SO2) included in current regulations.
This was reported at a press conference by the technical director of Pevolca, Rubén Fernández -who will temporarily relieve Miguel Ángel Morcuende-, who has recommended to the population that they take extreme security measures with respect to these emissions, which are linked to the use of masks fpp2.
It is also advisable to use open spaces as little as possible, especially in the municipality of Tazacorte, a recommendation that is aimed mainly at vulnerable people, such as pregnant women, children, the elderly or those with respiratory diseases. However, the meteorological conditions expected from tomorrow mean that this recommendation can also be extended to Los Llanos and El Paso.
On the other hand, the confinement of the neighborhoods of San Borondón, Marina Alta, Marina Baja and La Condesa is maintained, where scientists are monitoring air quality levels in the area and guaranteeing that in the future, that hope it is forthcoming, the confinement may remit.
The spokeswoman for the Scientific Committee of Pevolca, María José Blanco, has specified that the meteorological conditions forecast for tomorrow will cause the cloud of ash and SO2 to affect mainly the west slope of La Palma, and will be unfavorable from the point of view of the air quality. In this regard, yesterday at the mobile station located in Los Llanos the daily threshold for particles established in the air quality regulations, which is 50 micrograms per m3, was exceeded.
According to María José Blanco, “this daily exceedance does not mean, for now, that air quality limits for health are exceeded, but it is recommended to continue with the precautionary measures established in previous reports.” Regarding sulfur dioxide, he added that in Tazacorte high and very high values are being measured for several consecutive hours, reaching over 500 micrograms per m3 in the hourly average of 08.00 hours.
He pointed out that at the moment hourly values higher than 300 micrograms per m3 are being measured in Tazacorte and in Los Llanos an increase in the concentration of SO2 has been observed since last morning, reaching values around 100 micrograms per m3. According to Blanco, this does not imply an exceedance of the hourly limit values, but if it continues in this way, it could exceed the daily limit value.
Likewise, many residents of Los Llanos have noticed the smell of rotten eggs, a phenomenon that, according to María José Blanco, is due to hydrogen sulfide in the air. He indicated that these values that are recorded in the air quality stations do not currently represent a health hazard and added that the smell of rotten eggs and the increase in SO2 is due to the impact of the volcanic plume in the area.
Regarding the evolution of the eruptive process, Rubén Fernández indicated that the “certain stability” provided by the channeling of the lava that has reached the sea is maintained; however, there are some overflow points that are affecting other areas, and there are even some ‘fingers’ that have separated from the main axis of the run but whose tendency is to return to this channeling. In this sense, the restriction of access to areas within the security perimeter is maintained, with the exception of emergency services and scientific personnel.
ACCESS TO THE FARMS.
Today it has been allowed the entry of the irrigation communities and the owners of the farms located in the area between La Bombilla and El Remo, as well as in the area north of La Laguna, where farmers also they have been able to do collection work; activity that tomorrow will also be allowed on the farms between La Bombilla and El Remo.
In addition, the passage of those people who had to access their homes outside the security perimeter has been allowed, but only for something specific and exceptional, so it has not been possible to collect belongings. In turn, it has been possible to enter in an organized manner in a security convoy for those people who had to feed their animals. This action will continue to be carried out in the next few days if the safety conditions regarding the laundry and the emission of gases do not change.
According to the latest information from the Copernicus satellite, currently 855 buildings are totally damaged and about 126 are partially damaged, making a total of 981 buildings. These data must be contrasted both with the Cadastre and with the information sent by both the town councils and the neighbors themselves about the homes that could be affected. There are also 186 people evacuated, one more compared to yesterday, who are staying at the Fuencaliente hotel and where they are treated by the Red Cross.
In another order of things, the technical director of Pevolca has transferred the gratitude of the Cabildo de La Palma and the affected municipalities to all the people who have collaborated by sending clothes, basic necessities and food; However, he said that this need is no longer necessary and that it is possible to collaborate by making contributions through the accounts opened both in the municipalities themselves and in the Cabildo and other official institutions.
SCIENTIFIC COMITTEE
Prior to the meeting of the Pevolca Steering Committee, the Scientific Committee of the Plan met, in which its members presented their conclusions on the evolution of the eruptive phenomenon since yesterday. These conclusions indicate that the fissure eruption continues to show a strombolian mechanism with an effusive prevalence in the emission center of the north flank.
The stream that finally reached the sea maintains a continuous flow in the form of a cascade, forming a lava delta at the base of the contact cliff with a wide front that has reached the 24-meter sea depth visible on the surface. In the area of contact, clouds of water vapor and other gases, possibly toxic, are being produced, which have been referred to hereinafter as ‘sea plume’, which is concentrated in a small area around the contact.
Since this morning, the appearance of an extensive fumarolic field on the northeast flank can be seen from a distance and it is reiterated that significant advances can be made along the active stream that has reached the sea. Likewise, the eruptive process continues its activity and the rest of the flows are practically inactive. The eruptive process can show episodes of increased and decreased strombolian activity, as well as courses with phreatomagmatic activity. In turn, the morphology of the cone has changed and can change repeatedly due to successive growth and reconfiguration.
The seismicity is still located in the same area in which it originated on September 11, but at depths greater than 10 km. In the last 24 hours, a few dozen earthquakes have been located, the largest of magnitude 3.3, felt with intensity II. Some shallow earthquakes have also been recorded in the vicinity of the eruptive center. Some seismic stations near the lava delta register a high frequency tremor, probably linked to that delta. The deformations continue to show a stable pattern.
The estimation of the SO2 emission rate into the atmosphere continues to register relatively high values, reaching 7,149 tons per day.
