SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 10 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Scientists who follow the evolution of the La Palma volcano eruption have observed in recent hours a small upturn in seismicity at great depths and in the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2), two of the volcanic monitoring variables that are they are being analyzed by the technicians.
Seismicity at depths greater than 20 kilometers has registered an increase in recent hours, both in number and magnitude. In fact, this morning there was a 4.8 (mbLg) earthquake that was felt with a maximum intensity of IV on the islands of La Palma and El Hierro.
Likewise, the emission of sulfur dioxide, associated with the volcanic plume of the current eruptive process underway, registered yesterday continues to be high, registering a range of values between 31,000 and 43,000 tons per day through the use of remote optical sensors type miniDOAS in maritime mobile position.
Francisco Prieto, representative of the Pevolca Technical Committee, recalled that in previous days it had already been warned that these volcanic surveillance variables could suffer a rebound, despite having registered decreases for several consecutive days that suggested a possible end of the eruption. In this sense, he indicated that there can always be one-off rallies like this one, which will have to be analyzed in the coming days to see if they remain at downward levels or are real rallies.
The director of the National Geographic Institute (IGN) in the Canary Islands and spokesperson for the Scientific Committee, María José Blanco, added that for weeks it has been warning that the occurrence of felt earthquakes is likely and that they can even reach intensities of V or VI. Therefore, he pointed out that within stability, the system continues to have the readjustment capacity to generate earthquakes of these magnitudes at depths greater than 30 km, as has happened today.
In relation to the SO2 values, he pointed out that the Involcan scientists, in charge of making these measurements, express in their reports that the trend continues to maintain a gradual decrease; however, the measure they take is always an underestimated measure.
NEW LÁVIC DELTA
Last morning, around 12.45 am, the lava flow from zone 2 reached the sea at Los Guirres beach, starting a new lava delta that overlaps the previous delta that formed lavage 1 to the north. Run 2 is filling and growing in surface area, glued to the original run, and a fill will likely occur between runs 1 and 9 over the next several days. In any case, the evolution of the washes has remained within the forecasts.
Due to the general improvement in air quality, face-to-face classes have been resumed today in the municipalities of the western area, and there is already a site to house the two complementary electricity generation plants on both sides of the city. wash. One of them, of 9 megawatts, will be located in Los Llanos and the other, of 4 megawatts, in Las Manchas. With these two stations, voltage drops will be alleviated and the system will be stable. Next week the first equipments will arrive to have these two stations active.
The number of people housed in hotel centers today stands at 467, 4 less than yesterday. Of the total, 400 are staying at the Fuencaliente hotel and 67 in Los Llanos de Aridane. In addition, there are 43 dependent people cared for in insular health centers.
The affected area is estimated to have increased by 10 hectares, so in all probability today it will exceed 1,000 hectares in total, and the maximum width between exterior castings is maintained at 3,100 meters, given that the new casting is in an interior zone among the pre-existing ones.
With regard to infrastructure damage, data from the Copernicus satellite indicate that there are 2,724 buildings / constructions affected by the lava, of which 2,605 have been destroyed and 119 are at risk. The total area of affected crops amounts to 290.45 hectares, of which 164.38 are banana, 59.84 vineyards and 25 avocados.
REPORT OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
The height of the ash scattering cloud measured today, heading west, is 1,800 meters. Regarding the meteorological prediction, the wind from the north component to the east component will predominate from the surface up to 5,000 meters, with gusts that can reach 40-50 km / h. Therefore, the favorable scenario for aeronautical operations continues. On Friday and Saturday, weak precipitation will be likely on the northern and eastern slopes of the island, as well as in inland areas of the western slope. Next week a low pressure system could affect the Archipelago, although there is still high uncertainty due to its remoteness.
Seismicity at intermediate depths remains low compared to previous weeks. Seismicity continues to be located in the same areas and at depths between 10 and 15 km and greater than 20 km. The tremor in the last 24 hours remains at low levels. Regarding deformations, the station closest to the eruptive center continues to show deformations that reflect the dynamics of the eruptive process. On the other hand, the rest of the stations show a trend towards regional deflation.
In the case of the diffuse emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) associated with the Cumbre Vieja complex, it does not reflect significant variations during the last days, registering a range between 1,800 and 2,000 tons per day yesterday. These diffuse emanations do not represent a danger to the population. At the Los Llanos station, a slight magmatic-hydrothermal fraction continues to be recorded in the carbon dioxide in the soil atmosphere, while it is practically nil at the Fuencaliente station.
Yesterday, regarding sulfur dioxide, good or reasonably good levels were registered in all the stations of the island except in Puntagorda, where air quality levels were maintained at regular levels repeatedly, with the daily threshold being exceeded in this station. During this morning, the values are maintaining good or reasonably good values in all the stations, with some specific moment of regular air quality in Puntagorda.
Regarding PM10 particles, yesterday there was a significant reduction in the values recorded at the Los Llanos station, reaching regular air quality levels, and the same dynamics of previous days were maintained, with an increase of the values first thing in the morning and subsequent reduction, but with maximum levels of less intensity than in previous days. In the rest of the stations, air quality levels remained at good or reasonably good levels, and yesterday there were no exceedances of the daily limit value in any station.
During this morning there is a slight increase in the observed values, but of low intensity, with good or reasonably good values in all the stations except in Los Llanos, where they remain regular. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, in the area of Tijarafe, Los Llanos, El Paso, Tazacorte and Puntagorda, the vulnerable population should consider reducing vigorous or prolonged activities outdoors and doing them indoors or when air quality improves. , after consulting it on the website of the Government of the Canary Islands for air quality.
