SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, December 23 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The observables, both direct on the surface and from the surveillance systems, continue to corroborate the signs of exhaustion of the eruptive process of the La Palma volcano, although the end of the eruption does not have to imply the end of some dangers associated with the volcanic phenomenon. and the end of the magmatic reactivation in Cumbre Vieja.
This has been warned by the spokesperson of the Pevolca Scientific Committee, Carmen López, who indicated at a press conference that the only significant data is that the local deformation episode that began on December 19 persists, which requires its monitoring, without being observed variations in the rest of the data and observables.
Carmen López added that in order to say that the eruptive process is complete, the recorded and observable data must be maintained at current levels for two more days.
For his part, the technical director of Pevolca, Miguel Ángel Morcuende, has insisted that the security measures regarding COVID-19 continue to be complied with by the population and recalled the need for those people who access, especially in the South of the emergency, to clean homes take all due precautions, ventilating the house where you intend to access and not accessing places below ground level, due to the risk of accumulation of gases.
The visible emission of volcanic gases continues to be punctual and sporadic, concentrating in the area of the eruptive centers and in the jameos of the volcanic tubes. Continuous small collapses occur in the walls of the main and secondary cone craters in favor of existing faults and fissures.
The tremor is at the level of the background noise. Seismicity, which is of low magnitude, is at very low levels at all depths. Despite the current level of seismicity, the occurrence of felt earthquakes is not ruled out.
The emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere by the current eruptive process in Cumbre Vieja was low yesterday. The low and very low emission rates are not related to magma rise, but rather to a process of solidification of the superficial magma existing in the conduits of the eruptive center.
In the case of non-visible volcanic gas emanations, the diffuse emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), associated with the 220 km2 of the Cumbre Vieja volcanic system, continues to reflect an emission higher than the average value of the background levels (B ) and yesterday this diffuse emission was 8.5 times the average of the background levels (8.5 x B).
During yesterday, the air quality due to sulfur dioxide (SO2), a pollutant associated with the eruptive process, continued at good levels in all stations and no hourly or daily limit values were exceeded at any station. In the early morning and tomorrow of today good levels of air quality are maintained in all stations.
Regarding particles smaller than 10 microns (PM10), yesterday good levels were maintained in all stations, not exceeding the daily limit value (established at 50 micrograms / m3) in any of them. During the morning of today the values are between good and reasonable in all the stations of the network.
Those housed in hotels stand at 557, eight more than yesterday. Of the total, 394 are staying in Fuencaliente, 70 in Los Llanos de Aridane and 93 in Breña Baja, managed by the Red Cross and municipal services. In addition, 43 dependent people continue to be cared for in insular health centers.
