Volcano fears erupt in Tenerife as island's largest-ever seismic event recorded

An extended seismic event measuring 2.2 magnitude was detected in Tenerife last week (Image: Getty)

Experts in Tenerife detected a long-period (LP) seismic event at its volcano last week, in the southwest sector of the Las Cañadas del Teide caldera - the largest of its kind ever recorded on the Canary Island. The team from the Canary Islands Seismic Network confirmed the detection of the event at around 8.20am on Friday (November 7), at a depth of around seven miles beneath the surface.

While a precise calculation of LP events using standard seismic methods is difficult, researchers estimate that this event reached around 2.2 on the Richter scale. According to the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute (INVOLCAN), similar events have been detected in Tenerife in recent years, along with six swarms of hybrid signals recorded in nearby zones. However, Friday's events stand out due to their amplitude, described by scientists as the largest of their kind ever recorded.

These events are a significant indicator of subsurface activity and internal changes in Mount Teide (Image: Getty)

Experts have noted that this type of event is a significant indicator of subsurface activity and internal changes within the volcanic system.

These LP seismic events are generally linked to the movement of hydrothermal fluids, hot water and gases, which circulate within Tenerife's volcanic system. They form part of an ongoing pressurisation process of the magmatic-hydrothermal system - where magma heats groundwater, creating a mixture of hot, mineral-rich fluids and a key driver of volcanic activity - which has been monitored continuously since 2016.

They do not, however, indicate an imminent eruption, the experts added.

Residents and visitors to the national park are reminded to respect restricted areas (Image: Getty)

Residents and visitors to Mount Tiede, whose national park welcomes over four million tourists annually, have been reminded that the volcano remains under constant surveillance, and authorities have encouraged public awareness and respect for restricted areas. There is no cause for alarm, they added.

Mount Teide, at 12,188ft tall, is the highest point in the archipelago. If measured from the ocean floor, its height of 24,600ft makes Teide the third-highest volcano in the world. It started forming 170,000 years ago due to volcanic activity following a catastrophic landslide.

Teide is an active volcano, with its most recent eruption occurring in 1909. The island has also begun conducting large-scale emergency drills to prepare for a possible future event, though the probability of a major eruption currently remains low.