lava opens two new paths and threatens another area of ​​the island

Lava has opened up two new paths in the past few hours that the scientific committee is evaluating to determine whether they pass to the coast alongside previous lava flows or enter new territory.

The seismologist of the National Geographical Institute (IGN), Ithaiza Domínguez, explains that one of the new streams formed after the rupture of the secondary cone that had formed and that it is the one that in recent days emitted the lava which reaches as far as the sea and which has gained an area of ​​more than 17 hectares, in what is called a fajana or low island.

“He is currently assessing whether this lava meets the main one. It is still too early to know, ”he explains.

The other path was formed in the early morning after opening a new mouth a few meters northwest of the main cone. This new source of emission releases lava which flows from the main current heading towards the sea.

“It seems that this is a new path but it must be confirmed”, indicates Domínguez, who specifies that again we do not know how long they will remain active these washes.

Unpredictable advance

The volcanologist Juan Carlos Carracedo explains that the two new lava paths that have formed follow the law of gravity and the maximum slope, although, he warns, this road is changing by the rash itself.

“There are lavas which are formed, cool and modify the previous slope and the new one seeks the path according to the topography which is created at each moment”, he specifies.

This expert warns that during the rash, it is “normal” for mouths to appear, go out and reappear.

“There are vents that release lava which fragments and cools on contact with the atmosphere, blocking other vents, while new ones emerge and so on,” he explains.

“The problem is not the mouth itself but where this lava is going to pass,” he adds.

A gigantic lava delta

Regarding the ground that this volcano gains from the sea, Carracedo is convinced that the size of this lava delta will exceed the size that created the eruption of San Juan in 1949.

Its morphology will be similar to the deltas that created the previous eruptions and which today host populations or banana plantations. This is the case of the area of ​​La Bombilla, which formed the San Juan volcano, or the coastal strip located between Puerto Naos and El Remo, and which was born with the eruption of Tehuya in 1585.

As Carracedo explains, the delta “will continue to grow” at the erosive level of a coastal shelf that formed during the last ice age, when the sea level was 80 to 90 meters below. , and which is a flat, shallow surface.

“When this platform is completed, the depth will increase rapidly, up to 300 meters, and there will not be enough lava, no matter how much the volcano emits, to create this delta because it will go towards the low, ”says Carracedo. , which points out that the “growth limit” of the delta will be when the coastal level which is between 0 and 80 meters ends. “This will be the top where we see him emerge,” he said.

Concern for air quality

In addition to opening new emission points, showing the volcano the strength it has at its disposal, the emission of ash and pyroclasts has increased. The size of the magmatic material it throws is a bit larger, about two centimeters.

“It is no longer volcanic ash but what is called lapilli”, explains Domínguez, who launches a message from tranquility tap dancing and recommends the use of protective goggles and an FFP2 mask.

Regarding the marine plume which is formed by the collision of lava with the sea, air quality on the island remains good although sulfur dioxide emissions have increased.

The inhabitants of four neighboring municipalities but outside the exclusion zone (2.5 kilometers) continue to confined and the people of Tazacorte are invited to stay in their homes.

“Considerable” duration

Carracedo claims that the La Palma volcano is currently in “full force” and there is no indication that it will lose its eruption rate in the coming days, which is estimated to be of “considerable” duration.

As he explains, this rash has “a very large magnitude” given the high volumes of lava he spat out during the twelve days of activity.

“It is one of the largest volcanoes that have existed in historical times on La Palma”, underlines Carracedo, and recalls that already in its first week, it had emitted 46.3 million cubic meters of lava, exceeding that issued by the Teneguía in the 24 days that it was erupting and it was 43 million.

Affected roads

More than 20 kilometers of roads are affected and the hectares covered by lava exceed 338, of which about 17 correspond to the new fajana which is being created on the coast of Tazacorte and which is about half a kilometer wide.

The last night they signed up eight new earthquakes, the most intense of the municipality of Mazo, of magnitude 3.5 and at a depth of 13 kilometers.

The Minister of the Presidency, Relations with the Courts and Democratic Memory, Félix Bolaños, assured that the reconstruction of the “life projects” of those who “lost everything” because of the eruption of the volcano on the island is a “top priority”. “for the government.

Thus, he expressed his total “solidarity with the people who lose everything, their homes and their possessions”.

“I am overwhelmed, the reality is really overwhelming, because it is not only a question of taking houses and buildings, but there are life projects which are very affected by these lava flows which take everything away”, a he declared.

Bolaños wanted to make palmeros understand that “the Spanish government will be with them” and that “the island of La Palma is a top priority”, as well as that it is working “against the clock” to adopt measures to mitigate what has happened.

He admitted that he did not yet know “how many days we will have emergency”, but he guaranteed that they are and will continue to “work with all” the “forces”. “We will continue to work when the volcano stops, because for the government it is a top priority.”

By Sílvia Fernández, from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

CB