Current Reports of volcanic unrest in the Canary Islands

Introduction

The Canary Islands have had a lot of volcanic activity over millions of years, and some of the islands are still active today; therefore, there will likely be another eruption at some point, but it is near-impossible to predict exactly when, where, or how big it will be. Scientists closely watch the volcanoes to understand their normal “background” activity so that they can identify when unusual volcanic behaviour might indicate that an eruption could be on the way. On this page we describe who monitors volcanic activity and participates in emergency response with a timeline of the main episode of unrest in the last 20 years.

It is important to refer to official sites for information in an emergency. The main sites to find information around volcanic unrest are:

Twitter accounts of the Islands’ Cabildos:

Cabildo de Lanzarote

Cabildo de El Hierro

Cabildo de La Palma

Cabildo de Tenerife

Other groups also cover volcanic unrest:

Current status of each island

VTL - Current volcanic traffic level by Ajay Geotenerife

For an explanation of Traffic Light System, click here

The colours in this interactive map do NOT correspond to the Volcanic traffic level above. The most recent earthquake is within the flashing red circle. Yellow circles are earthquakes with a magnitude less than 2, orange between 2-3, red between 3-4, and dark red is a magnitude of more than 4. IGN Spain uses the mbLg, which measures the body wave magnitude, uses a logarithmic scale, and this scale is suited for measuring earthquakes close to their epicentre.

Most recent report

A summarised version of the most recent report available through the IGN seismic catalogue, relevant social media, and news articles. You can find a comprehensive timeline at the bottom of this page.

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  • Volcanic eruption drill

    🇬🇧 In Tenerife we have been working on a serious, real and useful volcanic safety plan for two years.

     From 23 to 26 September we will do something historic:

    • An unprecedented volcanic eruption drill in Spain.

    • Emergency teams, scientists, volunteers and all municipalities will participate.

    On Thursday 26th, at 9.00h, you will receive a test alert message on your mobile. It’s just a test. There is no emergency.

    We want you to know:

    • How to act

    • Where to go out

    • Where to meet

    • How to prepare your backpack

    • What to do with your pets

    • Who to listen to and where to inform

      Because when we know what to do, everything is easier.

    🇪🇸 🇮🇨 En Tenerife llevamos dos años trabajando en un plan de seguridad volcánica serio, real y útil.
    Del 23 al 26 de septiembre haremos algo histórico:

    • Un simulacro sobre erupción volcánica que no tiene precedentes en España.

    • Participarán equipos de emergencia, científicos, voluntarios y todos los municipios.

    El jueves 26, a las 9.00 h, recibirás un mensaje de alerta de prueba en tu móvil. Es solo una prueba. No hay emergencia.

    Queremos que sepas:

    • Cómo actuar.

    • Por dónde salir.

    • Dónde reunirte.

    • Cómo preparar tu mochila.

    • Qué hacer con tus mascotas.

    • A quién escuchar y dónde informarte.

    Porque cuando sabemos qué hacer, todo es más fácil.

    @rosa_davilamamely

Timeline of volcanic unrest

Drag the timeline along to see previous updates

November 30 2005 7:00 AM

2004-2005 Period of Volcanic Unrest

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🇬🇧 🇺🇸

After the 2004-2005 unrest period (activity below the surface but no eruption) there have been studies published that have investigated the signals detected at Teide, gaining more clarity with hindsight and having time to compare the different types of monitoring data. Putting the data together, the interpretation is that there was a magmatic intrusion under the NW part of Tenerife along with related hydrothermal activity.

From 2001 to 2003 small magma intrusions likely affected the hydrothermal system, seen by increasing CO2 and H2S at the summit of Teide. This also may have been degassing of deeper magma.

Beginning in late 2003, there was an increase in the number of earthquakes, or seismicity, detected below the island of Tenerife. This significantly increased early 2004. There had already been ongoing seismicity between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, but this was new for this location since modern volcano monitoring had commenced in 1992 by IGN and increasing in 2000.

Evidence for volcanic unrest included: 1) increased seismicity, 2) a significant increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) coming through the soil (diffuse, instead of a single point source like a fumarole) along the Santiago del Teide Ridge and around the Las Cañadas caldera; 3) an increased rate of CO2 emitted at Teide fumaroles; 4) traces of SO2 measured at Teide fumaroles; 5) increased fumarole activity at Teide; 6) a new fissure opened within the La Orotava valley with gas emissions; 7) changes in the gravity field that likely indicate moving hydrothermal fluids; and 8) minor ground deformation related to hydrothermal activity, only detected in hindsight.

🇪🇸 🇮🇨

Tras el periodo de inestabilidad de 2004-2005 (actividad bajo la superficie pero sin erupción), se han publicado estudios que han investigado las señales detectadas en el Teide, obteniendo más claridad en retrospectiva y teniendo tiempo para comparar los diferentes tipos de datos de monitorización. Al juntar los datos, la interpretación es que hubo una intrusión magmática bajo la parte noroeste de Tenerife junto con actividad hidrotermal relacionada.

Entre 2001 y 2003, pequeñas intrusiones de magma probablemente afectaron al sistema hidrotermal, lo que se vio por el aumento de CO2 y H2S en la cima del Teide. Esto también pudo haber sido la desgasificación de magma más profundo.

A partir de finales de 2003, se detectó un aumento en el número de terremotos, o sismicidad, debajo de la isla de Tenerife. Esto aumentó significativamente a principios de 2004. Ya había habido sismicidad continua entre Tenerife y Gran Canaria, pero esto era nuevo para esta ubicación, ya que el monitoreo moderno de volcanes había comenzado en 1992 por IGN y había aumentado en 2000.

Las pruebas de inestabilidad volcánica incluían: 1) aumento de la sismicidad, 2) aumento significativo del dióxido de carbono (CO2) que atraviesa el suelo (difuso, en lugar de una fuente puntual como una fumarola) a lo largo de la cordillera de Santiago del Teide y alrededor de la caldera de Las Cañadas; 3) aumento de la tasa de CO2 emitido en las fumarolas del Teide; 4) rastros de SO2 medidos en las fumarolas del Teide; 5) aumento de la actividad fumarólica en el Teide; 6) apertura de una nueva fisura en el valle de La Orotava con emisiones de gas; 7) cambios en el campo gravitatorio que probablemente indiquen el movimiento de fluidos hidrotermales; y 8) deformación menor del suelo relacionada con la actividad hidrotermal, detectada solo en retrospectiva.

References 

Cerdeña, I.D., del Fresno, C. and Rivera, L., 2011. New insight on the increasing seismicity during Tenerife’s 2004 volcanic reactivation. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 206(1-2), pp.15-29.

Galindo, I., 2005. Estructura volcano-tectónica y emisión difusa de gases de Tenerife (Islas Canarias). PhD Thesis, University of Barcelona, 350 pp.

García, A., Ortiz, R., Marrero, J.M., Sanchez, N., Vila, J., Correig, A.M., Marcià, R., Sleeman, R. and Tárraga, M., 2006. Monitoring the reawakening of Canary Islands’ Teide volcano. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union, 87(6), pp.61-65.

Gottsmann, J., Wooller, L., Martí, J., Fernández, J., Camacho, A.G., González, P.J., Garcia, A. and Rymer, H., 2006. New evidence for the reawakening of Teide volcano. Geophysical Research Letters, 33(20).

Martí, J., Ortiz, R., Gottsmann, J., Garcia, A. and De La Cruz-Reyna, S., 2009. Characterising unrest during the reawakening of the central volcanic complex on Tenerife, Canary Islands, 2004–2005, and implications for assessing hazards and risk mitigation. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 182(1-2), pp.23-33. 

Przeor, M., D’Auria, L., Pepe, S., Tizzani, P., Barone, A., Vitale, A., Pérez, N.M. and Castaldo, R., 2024. Independent component analysis and finite element modelling of the 2004–2005 ground deformation in Tenerife (Canary Islands). Frontiers in Earth Science, 12, p.1412827.