SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 22 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The management of Pevolca has advised the population residing in Santa Cruz de La Palma, Breña Alta and Breña Baja to use FFP2 masks and to reduce energetic and / or prolonged activities outdoors due to the unfavorable situation of air quality due to emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and PM10 suspended particles.
The technical director of Pevolca, Miguel Ángel Morcuende, pointed out at a press conference that for the first time throughout the emergency, it is being recommended that these measures be taken in these three municipalities, because the wind from the West is directing the SO2 and the PM10 particles associated with the volcanic plume towards the east of the island.
Therefore, in the area of Santa Cruz de La Palma, Breña Alta and Breña Baja, the population should consider reducing vigorous and / or prolonged outdoor activities, and doing them indoors or when air quality improves, consulting the Canary Islands Government Air Quality website: https: //www3.gobiernodecanarias.org/medioambiente/calidaddel …
On the other hand, the technical director of Pevolca stressed that yesterday in the southern area of the wash, within the evacuated area, the existence of gases prevented the entrance to the Las Manchas area, a fact that later remitted, normalizing entry into the entire area. Today the dynamics is repeating again, with high gas values in the upper area (Las Mancha), with normal values being found in the Puerto Naos area.
Likewise, Miguel Ángel Morcuende indicated that around 12 noon the arrival of wash 7 to the sea took place, which has caused the confinement of the town of Tazacorte, specifically, San Borondón, the old town and the area between El Cardón and Palomares.
As for the evolution of the volcanic eruption, strombolian activity persists with pulses of pyroclastic and ash emission and the pouring between zones 4 and 7 continues, occupying 7 more hectares than yesterday.
In relation to meteorology, on the surface the breeze regime will continue with a predominance of winds towards the West from 1,500 to 5,000 meters, which will place the ash cloud and SO2 towards the East-Northeast from the eruptive focus, assuming for the next 24-48 hours an unfavorable scenario for aeronautical operations and mainly for La Palma Airport. For the end of this week, as of Thursday-Friday, a considerable increase in instability is expected in the Archipelago environment due to the entrance from the west of a front and an Atlantic trough.
The seismic activity continues at intermediate depths (10-15 km), being located in the same areas, and the level of seismicity continues to be maintained at depths greater than 20 km. The maximum magnitude registered in the last 24 hours has been an event of 4.8 mbLg registered today at 08.09 hours at 36 km depth and direction with intensity IV. The tremor level continues to be low.
The deformation does not register significant signals and the emission of SO2 due to the volcanic plume continues to be high but relatively lower than in previous days, and an emission range between 900 and 1,300 tons per day is registered. The analysis of satellite images continue to reflect a downward trend since last September 23.
In the case of the diffuse emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) associated with the Cumbre Vieja building, it continues to register values above the background levels and yesterday it reflected a value between 2,000 and 2,300 tons per day, although it does not represent a danger to the population.
Yesterday, the air quality due to sulfur dioxide worsened during the early morning hours, between 00:00 and 03:00, in the Los Llanos and El Paso stations, reaching extremely unfavorable levels in those hours, which later decreased until they recovered. the low values and maintain good levels of air quality in all the stations of the island. During the early hours and the morning of today good values are being maintained in the stations on the west side of the island and higher records in the stations located to the east.
With regard to PM10 particles, it remained yesterday at good levels at the Los Llanos station, although in the eastern stations of the island there was an increase in levels, reflecting the incidence of the volcano plume towards the East in this part of the island. This situation of unfavorable air quality levels continues today at the El Pilar and La Grama stations.
