Tag: La Palma

La Palma volcanic eruption update: New vent, new very fast lava flow, 4 new cone collapses, powerful jets and all flights cancelled, yellow warning due to heavy rains

Strange Sounds – November 25, 2021

Today, the eruption is more powerful than the last several days.

The main cone also collapsed at least 4 times between Thursday and early Friday, thus increasing the flow of lava. Moreover, a new vent has opened on the southern part of the main cone of the La Palma volcano early this evening.

As a consequence, a new stream of very liquid and fast moving magma has formed. The new lava flow emerging from the new fissure runs at 600m/hour through new territory in urbanized areas.

The new front has already covered the Las Manchas cemetery (area of ​​more than 1,000 square meters; more than 5,000 niches and the only crematorium on the island).

Meanwhile, State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued a weather yellow warning. The authorities of La Palma have announced that this Friday access to the highway to the south of the island will be closed due to the risk of runoff and landslides due to the expected heavy rains.

All flights to and from La Palma have been cancelled.

https://strangesounds.org

Intensifying volcanic activity’ forces evacuation of THREE MORE La Palma towns

RT – September 23, 2021

Emergency services on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma have informed residents of three more towns they must flee due to the ongoing volcanic eruption, which has already destroyed scores of homes.

In a notice released by PEVOLCA, the Canary Islands Volcanic Emergency Plan, on Friday, authorities ordered a mandatory evacuation, asking residents of Tajuya, Tacande de Abajo, and Tacande de Arriba to head to the El Paso soccer field amid concerns about “intensifying volcanic activity.”

Residents in the three towns had previously been told to remain indoors for their own safety, but officials now believe they should leave the areas due to the threat posed by a “high presence of ash” emanating from the volcano, which started erupting five days ago after decades of inactivity.

Since volcanic ash began spewing and lava flowing, over 400 buildings have been destroyed on the western part of La Palma. According to the Spanish Civil Defense force, around 240 hectares of lava have flooded out of the volcano so far, mostly into arable lands.

The new evacuations come after experts at the Canary Islands National Geographic Institute warned that the lava flow from the volcano in Cumbre Vieja national park could continue for weeks, or even months.

https://www.rt.com

Cumbre Vieja is going to erupt shortly: Second earthquake swarm within a month hits beneath the volcano on the Canary Islands prompting fears of a cataclysmic tsunami

Strange Sounds – February 1, 2021

In the last few years, the Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma / Canary Islands was hit by several earthquake swarms. The first major series occurred in October 2017. It was followed by another seismic event in February 2018 and five in 2020, the latest end of December 2020.

Meanwhile, a new seismic unrest has started beneath the volcanic peak since January 31, 2021. The magnitudes of the earthquakes are between 1,2 and 2,5 (MbLg) and their depths range between 10 and 29 km right under the western slope of the Cumbre Vieja volcano.

Although this new seismic swarm poses no danger to residents and visitors to La Palma given the low magnitude and depth of the earthquakes, it clearly shows that something is going on there.

Cumbre Vieja has erupted twice in the last 70 years, first in 1949 and then again in 1971. Taking those 22 years between each eruption as indicator, it means the volcano is about 25 years overdue for its next eruption.

There also have been thousands of tremors recorded near or beneath the Spanish volcano in the past couple of years, suggesting it could blow anytime.

Moreover, we went from 1 seismic crisis in 2017 and 2018 to 5 unsettling swarms in 2020. That’s a dramatic increase in activity!

There are concerns that if Cumbre Vieja blows, the massive slab of rock could smash into the Atlantic Ocean causing a killer tidal wave.

This gigantic tsunami could travel thousands of miles and wash out coastal areas of Britain and even parts of the eastern seaboard of America.

https://strangesounds.org