PEVOLCA is investigating the possibility of allowing further returns of evacuated people as soon as next Friday, as it continues to analyse the state of the lava flows. The lava flows are mainly being analysed in terms of their temperature, stability and gas emissions, with the adjustment of the exclusion area being possible if results are favourable. The areas around Puerto Naos, El Remo and La Bombilla in the south, which have had greatest issues from gases from the lava flows, will be studied in the coming days. In the areas not safe to return, the current civil protection restrictions remain in place, as does the legal emergency and the red volcanic alert traffic light.

In regard to volcanic parameters, an uptick on the tremor graphs was noted, although IGN seismologists have stated the signal is not due to volcanic tremor but have yet to give an explanation of the source of the signal. Elsewhere, earthquakes and deformation remain near or at background levels, and the SO2 emissions from the cone are described as low and are due to gases escaping as the solid magma beneath the surface cools and contracts. PM10 and SO2 concentrations remain reasonably good to good across all stations, and good across all stations, respectively.

Finally, new estimates of the volume of material released by the volcano have been made; the main cone is said to be 28 million m³, whilst the subaerial lava field is approximately 187 million m³. These volumes however don’t take into account the volume of underwater lavas and the fallen ash further away from the volcano.

Sources: IGN Spain, Cabildo De La Palma, Gobiernode Canarias, DSN, PEVOLCA