Santa Cruz de Tenerife 30 Jan. (Europa Press) –
The Government of the Canary Islands, in collaboration with the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) via the Institute of Environmental Diagnosis and Water Studies (Idaea), is engaged in the European Project Volcan to enhance the management of risks posed by potential volcanic eruptions in the archipelago.
Funded by the European Commission, this initiative will enable the Canary Islands Government to amend the Special Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Response for Volcanic Risk in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (Pevolca) and to create volcanic hazard maps for all the islands, which will be developed by the Natural Risk Assessment and Management Service (NRAMS) of IDAEA-CSIC.
These maps will provide a visual depiction of areas that may be impacted by volcanic threats, serving as an essential instrument for establishing scenarios, crafting preventive measures, prioritising resources, coordinating responses during emergencies, and increasing public awareness regarding risks and response protocols, as stated by the government in a communiqué.
Furthermore, the project, which also involves collaboration from the National Geographic Institute (IGN), includes training for civil protection and a variety of outreach activities aimed at the local population to ensure they are acquainted with the volcanic landscape in which they reside and aware of the risks they may encounter, along with appropriate actions to take.
The comprehensive analysis of all project data will facilitate the integration of scientific research outcomes regarding volcanic activity in the archipelago with emergency management, thereby aiding decision-making in response to the volcanic threats facing the Canary Islands.
As the initial action of this project, Tenerife has recently hosted the first working sessions in which Joan Martí, the project lead from Idaea-CSIC, shared insights with scientists from various organisations and civil protection officers regarding the foundational principles of the project, its primary objectives, short- and long-term volcanic hazard assessment systems, and the tools for creating hazard maps.
During these preliminary meetings, representatives from the General Directorate of Emergency of the Government of the Canary Islands, the Emergency and Security Coordinating Centre (CECOES) 112, Cabildo de Tenerife, the Emergency Consortium of Lanzarote, the National Geographic Institute (IGN), and the Geological Institute and the Mining of Spain (IGME) participated.
Similar sessions will occur in the upcoming months on the islands of El Hierro, La Palma, and Lanzarote.
