Canary Islands Shaken By Ten Earthquakes Within 24 Hours
Spain News
Published: 07 September 2023 16:24 CET
Spain's Canary Islands have faced a series of earthquakes, including ten within a 24-hour period, starting on Monday, September 4th. These earthquakes, with a magnitude of three or higher, have raised concerns among experts, who are now analysing seismic trends and assessing potential risks to the local population.
The seismic activity began at 4 a.m. on Monday with a 3.1 magnitude earthquake to the west of the archipelago. Twenty minutes later, a 1.6 magnitude earthquake hit the Atlantic Ocean between Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Four more earthquakes were recorded in the region on the same day, followed by a 3.2 magnitude tremor in the populated area of El Pinar.
These relatively low-intensity earthquakes, occurring as the islands recover from recent wildfires, have continued, including a 3.0 magnitude event in the surrounding ocean.
The Canary Islands are situated at the convergence of the African, Eurasian, and American tectonic plates, making them prone to regular seismic activity. Reports indicate that the tremors were felt near populated areas, according to Spain's Institute of National Geography.
Near the town of Mogán on Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a 1.9 magnitude tremor was recorded at a depth of 31 kilometres. These recent seismic events follow devastating wildfires in Tenerife just last month, where over 15,000 hectares of woodland were destroyed around the Mount Teide volcano. La Palma also experienced forest fires in July, consuming around 4,000 hectares of land.
To combat the fires, approximately 400 firefighters, supported by nine water-dropping aircraft, were mobilised.
Regarding this week's earthquakes, Canarian Weekly has highlighted the potential for a sustained trend of seismic activity in the same area, prompting ongoing investigation by local experts to inform risk assessments, urban planning, and infrastructure development.
It's important to note that earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.5 or lower are typically not felt but can be detected by seismographs. Magnitude ratings between 2.5 and 5.4 are often felt but typically result in only minor damage. Globally, around 500,000 earthquakes within this magnitude range occur annually.
The Canary Islands' volcanic landscape is shaped by underground tectonic plates, adding to the region's vulnerability to seismic events. In 2021, an eruption in the southern part of La Palma caused damages estimated at up to 843 million euros, leading to the evacuation of 7,000 people due to lava flows. This eruption resulted in the destruction of more than 3,000 buildings, including the entire town of Todoque.
Sources
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12490697/Canary-Islands-hit-ten-earthquakes-24-hours.html
