The newly appointed director of the IGN confirms that they are “better equipped” for impending eruptions and emphasises the importance of integrating volcanology into the education system.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 19 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Seismologist Itahiza González, from Fuerteventura, has been at the helm of the National Geographic Institute (IGN) in the Canary Islands for the past year following the retirement of María José Blanco. He reflects on the 85 days of eruption from the ‘Tajogaite’ volcano, which resulted in the evacuation of 7,000 individuals, covered over 1,200 hectares in lava, and led to the destruction of more than 1,300 homes.
“In just one week, we transitioned from no activity to a volcanic eruption,” he recalls, mentioning that the week prior to the earth opening at Cabeza de Vaca was “tense,” marked by extensive fieldwork, around-the-clock shifts, and ongoing monitoring of stations to track changes.
Unlike the prolonged eruption in El Hierro, which lasted nearly three months, the occurrence in La Palma was so rapid that there was hardly any time for residents to react as they had in El Hierro.
González acknowledges that pinpointing the exact path of the lava flow was challenging, being further north than anticipated, but assures that the communities of Las Manchas and Jedey were kept informed throughout.
“We are discussing a very swift change in activity less than 12 hours prior to the event, which left little time, at best, for making an accurate forecast,” he noted, emphasising that the earthquakes were “very challenging to locate.” “In summary, it was a multifaceted scenario,” he added.
Concerning the explosiveness of the Tajogaite eruption, he describes it as “distinctive,” with an output of more “material” than typically seen in historic eruptions across the Canary Islands, although the eruption in El Hierro “was lengthier and released more.”
He points out that during the eruption of Chinyero in Tenerife at the beginning of the 20th century, the eruptive column reached three to four kilometres, while in La Palma, it exceeded eight kilometres, “quite significant” for this type of eruption.
“The explosiveness did catch us somewhat off guard, yes, and potentially the volume of ash it produced was remarkable across the island,” he noted.
González also highlights that while managing the volcanic eruption, numerous families on the island were losing their homes, possessions, and even their livelihoods.
EMPATHY WITH THE COMMUNITY
“We are not equipped for such situations. We are scientists, but immediately we prioritised the well-being of the population,” he explains, adding that once the emergency had passed, there would be time for research and analysis.
“It was a situation that, as a scientist, you wish to witness, but on the other hand, we also had to confront the tragedy. We were situated at Tajuya plaza, with our headquarters there, and clearly we witnessed crowds approaching us to share their plight, with many watching their homes consumed by lava. Thus, it was undeniably a rather complicated scenario,” he reminisces.
Looking ahead, with a volcano still exhibiting internal temperatures exceeding 600ºC, he asserts that they are now “better equipped” for future eruptions, similar to the aftermath of the El Hierro eruption, as each event leaves a legacy of new insights.
However, he mentions that “we can never be entirely certain” because eruptions cannot yet be completely predicted as accurately as weather phenomena, yet we are continuously “gaining knowledge.”
González identifies future challenges in enhancing educational efforts so that the community is “better informed” regarding volcanic emergencies, as citizens “tend to quickly forget” what may have been learnt from the experiences in La Palma, particularly as more eruptions are inevitable in the archipelago.
ANOTHER ERUPTION WILL OCCUR, “THE QUESTION IS WHEN”
“It’s not merely a possibility; it’s a certainty that it will happen. The question is when. We have no knowledge of the precise timing. It could be a hundred years or a mere ten—between El Hierro and La Palma, merely ten years elapsed,” he emphasised.
In this regard, he points out that children and adolescents have “internalised” important values such as standing up for LGTBI rights or recycling, for instance, due to their exposure in schools. Therefore, he advocates for the incorporation of volcanology into the educational curriculum.
“If individuals are unprepared, panic may ensue, leading to people fleeing the island or hoarding supplies unnecessarily,” he expressed.
González indicates that the most volcanically active islands are Tenerife, El Hierro, and La Palma, insisting that “the system must be ready” for when they next erupt.
“We, as scientists and those accountable for volcanic emergencies, must operate as if the next crisis—which may or may not culminate in an eruption—could occur tomorrow, because it is indeed a possibility,” he stated.
