La Palma volcano: a new eruption mouth has been opened and they warn that this could affect areas so far safe

The geologist of the Illustrious College of Geologists José Luis Barrera does not exclude that the volcano of Cumbre Vieja on La Palma can open new eruption mouths, in addition to the last double mouth which was recorded in the early hours of this Friday, located about 450 meters north of the crater. The lava it emits is very liquid and gained ground in a westerly direction.

Barrera explained in statements to the agency Europe Press What at the moment the laundry is more fluid and comes out at a higher temperature than the first days, when scientists pointed out that it was over 1000 degrees centigrade.

In addition, he specifies that the first emissions were more explosive because the gases were “opening the emission duct”, cleaning while now, although the explosions continue, they are not as frequent and intense as those of the early days. Indeed, the emission duct is cleaner and the lava comes out “less polluted, more fluid and from there it goes directly towards the sea”.

At the same time, he believes that the new laundry could be joined to the first. But he warns that now the “old” stream is starting to widen inland and if this new lava is added to it “that would be bad” for the current emergency, because it could affect new infrastructure and new assets that were not previously at risk.

In this way, it affects that when the lava cascades into the sea, it cools down “suddenly“In contact with the sea and “another new extension of the coastline” can be formed.

“It is possible that more vents can be opened, but the seismicity parameters must be monitored”, warns the geologist who recalls the importance of monitoring the depth of these seismic movements, now about 10 or 14 kilometers deep.

Finally, he recalls the stops of volcanic activity which these are the “pulses of the rash”, which “do not work like an open tap”, rather, it is the gases which carry the lava to the surface to expel it.

On the other hand, as reported by the National Geographic Institute (IGN), In the last 24 hours, 12 earthquakes have been recorded in the south of the island, near the current volcanic eruption. It also confirms that the hypocenters are located between 10 and 14 kilometers deep in the same area where the reactivation began on September 11.

For the time being, two of the earthquakes were perceived by the population. The strongest, with a maximum intensity of III in the epicentral zone and corresponds to an earthquake of magnitude 3.5 mbLg which was recorded at 8:30 p.m. this Thursday.

During the morning of Thursday the average amplitude of the volcanic tremor remained stable and in the range of the usual values ​​of all these days. However, From 6:00 p.m., it began to gradually increase until reaching in the last hours values ​​similar to those which arrived during the first eruptive days.

In any case, monitoring of the network of permanent stations indicates that the island regains deformation stability.

IGN continues to monitor activity, strengthening the monitoring network and after strengthening its presence on the island, where the CAVE (Center for Care and Monitoring of Eruptions) has been established and we work daily to collect samples of volcanic materials for their in situ and subsequent analysis.

(With information from Europa Press)

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