SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Nov. 14 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The eruption of the La Palma volcano, which celebrates 56 days today, continues without registering any notable news and the lava continues to flow over the existing streams in a single channel that forks at times, especially in the lower area, feeding more or less to a lesser extent in the three areas of arrival at sea.
The technical director of Pevolca, Miguel Ángel Morcuende, highlighted at a press conference that there have been no new spills or more damage to infrastructures, and the contribution of lava continues in the deltas area, causing its growth, although at a slower speed than yesterday and mainly in the southern part of the delta that was created on Los Guirres beach.
The director of the National Geographic Institute (IGN) in the Canary Islands and spokesperson for the Pevolca Scientific Committee, María José Blanco, indicated, for her part, that the height of the eruptive column measured today at 8:45 am was 3,100 meters, with a dispersion in direction SW.
Regarding the meteorological prediction, the surface wind at 5,000 meters will have an E component, which will dispose the ash cloud and sulfur dioxide (SO2) in a W-SW direction. During the next 36-48 hours it will be a favorable scenario for the operation of La Palma Airport. Furthermore, the low pressure system is not expected to directly affect the Canary Islands.
The seismicity continues to be maintained at depths greater than 20 km in the same number and with respect to intermediate depths, between 10 and 15 km, it remains low compared to previous weeks. The maximum magnitude in the last 24 hours has been an event that occurred at 05.24 hours, with a magnitude of 4.7 mbLg at 37 km and felt with a maximum intensity IV. The current level of seismicity continues to indicate that it is possible that more felt earthquakes may occur, being able to reach intensities of V and VI.
In relation to the deformation of the terrain, the station closest to the eruptive center (LP03) continues to show deformations that reflect the dynamics of the eruptive process and the rest of the stations, a general trend towards regional deflation.
Regarding the SO2 emissions associated with the volcanic plume, the measurements carried out yesterday by miniDOAS on the maritime mobile platform were lower than in previous days, although they continue to have high values. Specifically, yesterday between 2,000 and 4,000 tons per day were measured. Regarding the diffuse CO2 emission associated with Cumbre Vieja, it continues to register values above the background levels and they have been stable for about ten days, reflecting a value that is between 1,800 and 2,000 tons per day.
Air quality yesterday was at good or reasonably good levels in all stations, with no exceedances of hourly or daily limits. During the early hours of yesterday and the morning of today there has been a slight increase in the values in Puntagorda and Los Llanos, going from good to reasonably good levels and reaching regular values at certain times. In the rest of the stations, the values today remain at a good air quality level.
Regarding PM10 particles, yesterday continued to register low values in all the stations on La Palma, with good and reasonably good levels except for a high intensity episode in Los Llanos between 12:00 and 14:00 associated with cleaning work. , resulting in an excess of the daily value. This event raised the 24-hour moving average to a very unfavorable level, which has remained until today. At the moment the values recorded in Los Llanos are low, so air quality levels should improve during the morning if there are no significant changes in conditions. In the rest of the stations the levels remain between good and reasonably good.