T e n e r i f e ’ s f a v o u r i t e b r i t i s h w e e k ly n e w s p a p e r Issue 714
29 July 2011 - 04 August 2011
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Earthquakes galore, but there is no need for anyone to panic EL HIERRO, smallest of the Canary Islands and just 70 miles from Tenerife, has been hit by an astonishing swarm of 720 small earthquakes, many clustered at the base of the island’s volcano. But there have been no “shock, horror” warnings from anyone, no one has pressed the panic button, and scientists involved seem to be almost revelling in the situation. The activity began at noon on the 17th July, by the following Sunday the island had recorded 400 minor seismic tremors, many between 5-15 kilometres deep. This triggered the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Security Canary Islands Government to call for the first time a meeting of the Volcanic Monitoring Steering Committee, reflected in the ‘Specific Plan Protection Civil and Emergency for Volcanic Risk’. It followed “a significant increase in seismic activity”, but a report from the meeting said: “The situation is totally normal.” And other experts said: “There is no indication at present that the lowmagnitude seismic activity is a precursor to any significant volcanic activity or, indeed, stronger earthquake activity.” The Canary Islands Government is monitoring the situation, with sensors placed throughout the island and there have been no reports of visible damage to El Hierro. In fact, it seems to business as usual on this beautiful little tourist island. The National Geographic Institute (IGN) and Volcanological Institute of the Canary
Islands is continuing to record scores of daily earthquakes, measuring between 1 and 3 on the Richter Scale. According to Actualidad Volcánica de Canarias (AVCAN), the vast majority of the tremors have been recorded in the north-west of the 278.5sq/ km island at El Golfo, the location of a massive landslide almost 50,000 years ago. El Hierro is situated in the most south-western extreme of the Canaries and its origins date back some 100 million years. After three successive eruptions, and consequent accumulations, the island emerged from the ocean as an imposing triangular pyramid, crowned by a volcano more than 2,000 metres high. The volcanic activity, mainly at the convergence of the three ridges, resulted in the continual expansion of the island. According to ElHierro.com: “Although over 200 years have elapsed since the last eruption, El Hierro has the largest number of volcanoes in the Canaries, with over 500 open sky-cones, another 300 covered by the most recent outflows, and some 70 caves and volcanic galleries.” El Hierro was the first of Canarian Weekly’s series on the Canary Islands, back in May, and we noted then that it was a paradise for underwater diving, and also featured some of the greatest views in the world. It also boasts incredible visions of volcanoes and lava fields, fertile valleys, and dramatic cliffs up to 1,000m high. The island also contains dense forests of vegetation species, which have survived since prehistoric times; trees
that are 1,000 years old, twisted by the wind, and even reptiles that were thought to be extinct. And there are plenty of trails to go hiking in the beautiful countryside. This island was once considered to be the limit of the known world in classical times. Some 60% of it is classed as a protected area and, since 1997, El Hierro has undertaken an ambitious project, which means that it is also the future. Within a few years, it will be self-sufficient in renewable energies. In fact, it will be the first island in the world to be fully sustainable, providing, of course, the earthquakes do not get any stronger.