By The Canarian Weekly
10-18-21

The Canary Islands Volcanological Institute (Involcan) has reported that there has been a new overflow of lava as the volcano reactivated last night at 8.30pm, this time on the north flank of the volcano with large strong streams. However, the National Geographic Institute (IGN) has warned on several occasions that this type of event is common due to the plugging of the main cone which causes an overflow as if it were a lake, explaining that these events usually lead to the lava returning to the original flow, without causing major damage.

This flow, as explained by Miguel Ángel Morcuende, is advancing towards the south of the island and the forecast is that it will rejoin the one that is closest to the La Laguna mountain, which has continued to evolve towards the west, and is currently about 200 metres from the sea.

The effusiveness of the volcano, with the outflow of lava, is joined by an increase in strombolian activity emitting more ash and gases into a plume above the volcano.

Seismic activity increases in the last 24 hours

30 earthquakes have been recorded in La Palma since yesterday morning, one of which was measured 4.6 on the Richter Scale in the town of Mazo, which is where the strongest tremors have been recorded since the eruption began, was at a depth of 36 kilometres and was felt strongly by the population. The rest of the earthquakes in the last 24 hours have varied between 2.3 degrees and 4.1 degrees on the Richter Scale.

Like Mazo, greater seismic activity has been recorded in Fuencaliente, where earthquakes of magnitude of 3.2 and 3.3 were detected during the morning yesterday, and of 3.4 and 3.6 at 5.30pm in the afternoon. However, there is a substantial difference between the seismic activity under the two municipalities, given that in the case of Fuencaliente earthquakes are occurring at medium depth between 11 and 12 kilometres.