Holiday hotspot hit by 80 earthquakes in someday – possibilities of volcanic eruption revealed

Brits in their thousands could be displaced as Tenerife has been examining seismic activity which has swept across the island.

Not only that, experts worry this could lead towards a volcanic eruption which could cause disruption for locals and tourists alike. The initial earthquakes took place early next week, but a few days later Tenerife suffered 80 earthquakes between 9pm and 11pm. They took place in the southwest area of the Las Cañadas caldera, at depths ranging from 5 to 10 kilometres.

The individual earthquakes were relatively small, with the largest measuring 1.3 on the Richter scale. However, this could be a sign that a volcanic eruption is on the way.

Tenerife has many volcanoes across the island, with the largest being Mount Teide standing at 3,718 metres. Since November 14th, a total of 124 volcano-tectonic events have been recorded on the island, which is a huge sign activity is growing each day.

The Canary Islands Seismic Network (INVOLCAN) has been monitoring the issue and did try to reassure residents that the increase in activity does not necessarily mean an eruption is imminent. However, with the island being home to so many volcanoes, there is a 9.35% probability of a volcanic eruption occurring in the next 50 years.

INVOLCAN has set out a serious of guidelines that they encourage locals to follow, to prevent any emergencies. For example, people are warned off visiting several areas of the island which could be more susceptible to earthquakes or eruptions.

If locals or tourists entering restricted areas, such as those impacted by recent wildfires, without authorisation can result in fines of up to €600,000 (£499,923).

The UK Government have not issued any warnings against travelling to Tenerife, but have included warnings about Spain’s recent flooding. However, as Tenerife’s geological systems remain active, authorities warn visitors should always have awareness and adhere to any guidelines set out by INVOLCAN or other experts. They say they are key to safety and being prepared.

The increase in activity is said to be due to an injection of magmatic fluids into the system beneath Tenerife.

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