Dramatic La Palma eruption intensifies as new lava flow forms after record numbers of earthquakes (270) hit volcano

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la palma volcano update november 17 2021
La Palma volcano update for November 17, 2021

The eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano, on the Canary Island of La Palma is increasing in intensity and activity.

Today, a new lava flow has formed between the mountains of Todoque and that of La Laguna, moving at a speed of 70 meters per hour.

This new stream of magma coincides with a phase of greater seismic activity. More than 270 earthquakes hit the eruptive site between 00:00 and 18:00 (local time).

Earthquakes increase on La Palma
Earthquakes increase on La Palma. Map via IGN

That’s the second most seismically active day since the beginning of the eruption (September 14 had 300) and an impressive increase in intensity if compared to the <100 daily tremors that shook the island over the last 2 weeks!

Officials say AGAIN that M5 and even M6 quakes could happen any time and the volcanic tremor has increased in amplitude (from low to medium level) and a small inflation was measured near the main crater.

The seismic and volcanic data clealy show that the volcanic eruption enters a new intensification cycle, after days of apparent downward activity.

Heavy ash emission continues and currently drifts south and southwest, reaching an altitude between 1,500 and 1,700 meters. Thursday, the cloud of ash and toxic gases could affect the operation of La Palma airport.

The emission of sulfur dioxide in the volcanic plume is lower than in previous days (2,000 – 3,000 tons per day yesterday). In Los Llanos de Aridane and Puntagorda the air quality was very bad. In the areas of Las Manchas and Puerto Naos, high concentrations of toxic gases were detected last night. Workers were evacuated from the desalination plants. The emission of carbon dioxide is ok (2,200 – 2,500 tons per day).

According to new calculations, the ongoing eruption on La Palma has released as much energy than that the entire Canary Islands would consume in 36 years or 286.2 terawatt hours (35.9x the electricity demand of the Canary Islands during 2020 and 1,158x the electricity consumption of the island of La Palma last year.

Meanwhile, the lava has now buried 1,037 hectares of land (2.84 more than in the previous update) and destroyed 1,467 buildings on the Island of La Palma.

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3 Comments

  1. SS we are on same page. East coast must leave now to higher
    grounds specially ellipse of moon soon with DEC 4 Eclipse of Sun partially.

  2. Worse again. Bigger quakes expected. More lava flows. Desalinization plant closed down. Go fishing for six months. Stay clear.

    May the Lord protect those people from disaster.

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