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Date Published: 04/11/2021

ARCHIVED - Scientists hopeful that La Palma eruption may be coming to an end

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

For the first time, volcano experts have spoken of ‘positive signs’ on the island of La Palma

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Scientists hopeful that La Palma eruption may be coming to an end

It’s been 45 days since the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted on La Palma in the Canary Islands and scientists are at last cautiously optimistic that the disaster may be starting to abate. Up until recently, the experts were concerned that the activity could continue for nearly three months, but on Wednesday November 3 representatives from Pevolca, the island’s Volcanic Emergency Plan committee, revealed that there are “positive signs” that the ordeal could be coming to an end.

The two main indicators are the levels of sulfur dioxide in the air and the strength of the tremor signal, both of which, while still very high, have been decreasing since noon on Tuesday. In addition, even though earthquakes continue to rock La Palma on a regular basis, the seismic activity has remained at a constant depth.

“If we continue on this path, we will go well,” according to Pevolca spokesperson Carmen López.

Despite the positive evolution, the National Geographic Institute (IGN) recorded a magnitude five tremor on Wednesday, the highest since the eruption began on September 19, and schools in the municipalities of El Paso, Los Llanos de Aridane, Tazacorte, Tijarafe and Puntagorda all remain closed due to the smothering ash cloud being expelled by the volcano. The air quality continues to be extremely poor in many areas, and convoys arranged to help those rendered homeless retrieve their belongings have been temporarily suspended.

On the other hand, Binter and Canaryfly airlines, which have been forced on several occasions to ground flights to and from the island, announced on Wednesday that they are once again operating as normal.

The local government has also confirmed that from Wednesday those most affected by the eruption can begin applying for aid from the offices of the Cabildo de La Palma. Some 2,083 people have lost their homes to the destructive lava flow while countless businesses and farms have been damaged. According to the European Copernicus satellite monitoring system, lava now covers 997.8 hectares of land while the ash has choked a further 6,686 hectares. More than 7,000 individuals have been evacuated from danger zones since the beginning of the eruption.

Image: Involcan

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