Over 4,500 Earthquakes Detected in Tenerife
Tenerife has experienced more than 4,500 small earthquakes since Wednesday, marking the start of the fifteenth seismic swarm since 2016, according to the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute (Involcan).
The majority of these quakes are minor, often undetectable on individual seismograms. However, at times, over 300 events were recorded in just one hour. This seismic activity is located southwest of Las Cañadas del Teide, approximately 10 kilometres deep.
These earthquakes are linked to the movement of hydrothermal fluids—mainly a mix of water and carbon dioxide—flowing through fractures inside the volcanic structure. The vibrations from this process are picked up by seismometers on the surface.
Involcan notes that while this seismic episode is unusual and the longest recorded since volcanic activity resumed, such fluctuations between periods of increased activity and relative calm are typical of volcanic systems. They suggest that the most likely cause of this swarm is related to the movement of these hydrothermal fluids.
Despite the activity, the likelihood of a volcanic eruption in the short to medium term—weeks or months—remains low, according to current scientific understanding. For a pre-eruptive scenario to occur, there would need to be a significant increase in volcano-tectonic seismicity, a gradual migration of seismic foci, rapid and substantial ground deformation, and marked changes in both the volume and composition of volcanic gases emitted.
