20 Dec

Posted at 08:13h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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Volcanic tremor continues at background levels, with no eruptive activity seen, although a reactivation cannot be ruled out. Rigorous monitoring of gas levels throughout the evacuated zones continues, especially in La Bombilla, Puerto Naos and El Remo, where potentially lethal values have been detected on occasion according to PEVOLCA. However, gas levels improved relative to the 19th and permitted access to the evacuated zones from both the north and south, from the land and the sea. Small pockets of incandescence remain around jameos (areas where the roof of a lava tube has collapsed), although this is related to the cooling process of the lava.

19 Dec

Posted at 07:58h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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Volcanic tremor continues at background levels, with no eruptive activity seen, although a reactivation cannot be ruled out. PEVOLCA is keen to stress there is still danger from the temperatures and instability of the lava flows, as well as their associated gases, and that residents entering the evacuated areas should not approach any flows, even if they seem inactive. Small remnants of incandescent lava flows breaking out from lava tubes have still been observed in the south, which led to gas levels that prevented access for neighbours and irrigators to the evacuated areas from the south.

18 Dec

Posted at 07:29h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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Volcanic tremor continues at background levels, with no eruptive activity seen, for the 5th full day in a row, with each passing day of no activity increasing the likelihood that the eruption is finished for good, although a reactivation cannot be ruled out. PEVOLCA is keen to stress there is still large dangers from the temperatures of the lava flows and the associated gases. Small remnants of lava flows breaking out from lava tubes have still been observed in the south, associated with flow number 11. Furthermore, it is anticipated that gas levels may lead to entry into the southern parts of the evacuated zones being halted sporadically in the next days.

17 Dec

Posted at 12:30h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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Volcanic tremor continues at background levels with no change and there remains no eruptive activity on the surface, apart from slight degassing from the main craters and areas where the roofs of lava tubes have collapsed. PEVOLCA again was keen to stress that the legal emergency situation and red traffic light are still maintained, as are the Civil Protection measures that have been in place since the start of the eruption.

16 Dec

Posted at 12:17h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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For the third day, volcanic tremor continued at background levels and there was no eruptive activity on the surface, apart from slight degassing from the main craters and areas where the roofs of lava tubes have collapsed. However, PEVOLCA was keen to remind people that a high risk still exists, and that civil protection measures, exclusion zones and evacuation zones are being fully maintained. People who access these areas must always be accompanied by personnel with air quality measuring equipment.

15 Dec

Posted at 12:03h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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Throughout the 15th, volcanic tremor continued to be at background levels and there was no eruptive activity on the surface, apart from slight degassing from the main craters. However, PEVOLCA was keen to remind people that a high risk still exists, and that civil protection measures, exclusion zones and evacuation zones are being fully maintained. To start thinking about the end of the eruption, the current state of the volcano must be maintained for at least 10 days.

14 Dec

Posted at 11:35h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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Since the cessation of volcanic tremor on the evening on the 13th, it has remained at background levels now for more than 24 hours. No surface activity is seen from the main cone, and the lava flows on the surface are largely inactive. PEVOLCA say this may represent a sign of ‘exhaustion’ of the eruptive process but refuse to rule out a restarting of activity. The number of earthquakes increased yesterday to 91 events, peaking at M3.2. However, some of this increase is due to the fact that there is no tremor, as 56 lower magnitude events (

13 Dec

Posted at 11:20h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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The volcano has entered a new eruptive phase, which began with the intensification of tremor on the 12th. Since then, the tremor has been extremely variable, with peaks throughout yesterday coinciding with intense phases of explosive strombolian activity and ash emission, producing strong and high eruption columns. Yesterday evening however, tremor signals ceased entirely, and this remained the case until this morning when a brief spike in tremor has been seen. In the evening, tremor again ceased completely, as did activity from any of the vents. The number of earthquakes increased yesterday to 71 events, peaking at M3.4. However, some of this increase is due to the fact that when there is no tremor, more lower magnitude events (

12 Dec

Posted at 11:01h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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From midday yesterday, a strong intensification in the seismic tremor occurred, and this was seen on the surface as an intensification of activity. Strong explosive strombolian activity with ash emission and lava fountaining from multiple vents in the main cone was seen throughout the day, and although the intensification decreased later into the evening, the activity remained above what has been seen in the past week or so. Tremor values have been extremely variable, and remained at elevated levels throughout the night. However, aside from a slight widening of the front of flow 9, the lava flows continue to follow the same paths from the last few days over previous flows.

11 Dec

Posted at 10:44h in Day by Day, La Palma, VolcanoStories by
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The surface activity and emission of lava remains concentrated around the effusive vents to the west of the main cone, which emits lava flows that continue to travel over previous flows, in the central and southern areas of the lava flow field. Generally, activity in the main cone has been limited to weak strombolian activity, degassing and ash emission from the southeast vent, although there are still periods of more intense ash emission and strombolian activity. PEVOLCA has been keen to stress that although the emission of lava is reduced relatively to previous days and weeks, the danger from volcanic gases is just as persistent as ever.