Due to the continued ashfall and low-level temperatures inversion causing poor air quality with respect to PM10 on the western side of the island, PEVOLCA have maintained the suspension of schooling in El Paso, Los Llanos de Aridane, Tazacorte, Puntagorda and Tijarafe. They will also continue the distribution of face masks and glasses to the population to mitigate the poor air quality. Regarding lava flows, flow 11 to the west of Cogote Mountain has slowed to 1m per hour, with most of the flows travelling in existing tubes of channels, with the most active flow being flow 9, which is the flow directly to the south of the first lava delta, resting on the low coastal plain of the lava delta created by the 1949 eruption. The latest estimate of area affected by the lava flows is 977 hectares, with a maximum width of the flow field of 3,100 m. The number of earthquakes decreased relative to the previous day, with 118 events almost all recorded at intermediate depths (10-15 km), with the day’s most powerful earthquake being a 4.1 mbLg earthquake at 12 km.

SO2 emissions were decreased and were measured at 9,600 tons per day continuing a slight downward trend relative to earlier in the eruption, although this is underestimated relative to satellite measurements, whilst the ash and gas plume reached 3700 m. The tremor showed a significant decrease at around noon local time, whilst deformation remains stable in the proximal GPS stations, whilst a slight regional deflation continues to be recorded in distal stations. Regarding air quality, the temperature inversion and wind direction presents unfavourable conditions for both the operation of La Palma airport and regional air quality in general. SO2 concentrations reached unfavourable levels between 7-9am local time at the Puntagorda station, which contributed to the exceedance of the daily limit threshold (125 µg/m³) at this station. In the rest of the stations, good or reasonably good SO2 levels were measured. PM10 concentrations reached extremely unfavourable levels in Los Llanos, with an average of 183 µg/m³ (daily threshold is 50 µg/m³. In the rest of the stations PM10 levels were good or reasonably good.

The latest available data on the extent of the lava flows, showing the progress made to the south of the flow field in the last week. Image credit: Copernicus EMS

Sources: Government of the Canary Islands, PEVOLCA, Involcan, IGN, DSN, Cabildo La Palma, 112 Canarias, Tolouse VAAC, Copernicus EMS