On the Canary Island of La Palma the earth has been shaking for days. Experts are now predicting a possible volcanic eruption – the first in 50 years.
Madrid – After more than 4000 small earthquakes on the Canary Island of La Palma within a few days, the Spanish authorities have warned of a possible volcanic eruption in the area of the Cumbre Vieja volcanic chain in the south of La Palma. The yellow alert already applies to the island in the northwest of the Canary Islands.
Since last Saturday (September 11th, 2021) over 4,200 smaller earthquakes have been recorded in this area, the activity of the earth has been increasing for days, report the researchers from the National Geographic Institute (IGN). The quakes would also come closer to the surface of the earth and in places push the ground a little upwards, which would suggest that magma could build up under the elevations of the Cumbre Viaje and that an eruption of the volcano is imminent.
Possible volcanic eruption on La Palma: residents are preparing for evacuation
The residents of the area in the south of the Cumbre Vieja nature park on La Palma have therefore already been asked to prepare light luggage with their mobile phone, important documents and the necessary medicines, because an evacuation could be imminent. “We cannot make any predictions for the next few days, but everything indicates that the earthquakes will be stronger and more noticeable for the population,” said the director of the IGN for the Canary Islands, María José Blanco, the Spanish newspaper “El País”.
The last volcanic eruption occurred 50 years ago on the small island, which is about 100 kilometers northwest of Tenerife and is much less frequented by tourists than the other Canary Islands *. In 1971 the Teneguía volcano spat on the southern tip of the island of Magma. In one of the last major volcanic eruptions in May 2021, several villages were destroyed in the Congo in central Africa *. (ska / dpa) * fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
