Spain: Eruption ongoing at Teneguia volcano on La Palma as of early Sept. 21, evacuation orders in place /update 3

Event

As of early Sept. 21, evacuations are ongoing following the eruption of the Teneguia volcano, located on La Palma, Canary Islands, Sept. 19. Authorities are maintaining Emergency Level 2, the highest level on a four-tier scale, in the municipalities of Tazacorte, El Paso, Fuencaliente, Villa de Mazo, and Los Llanos de Aridane, indicating that a volcanic eruption poses significant risks and necessitates evacuations.

Lava flows on southwestern La Palma have slowed down and are approximately halfway towards the coast, directly affecting the municipalities of El Paso and Los Llanos de Aridane and destroying at least 100 homes. Officials have ordered additional evacuations in Tacande, El Paso, bringing the total number of evacuees to at least 5,500 from the municipalities of Los Llanos de Aridane, El Paso, Fuencaliente, and Tazacorte. Authorities have stated that additional evacuations are unlikely. Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded in the vicinity of the volcano since Sept. 11.

Officials have ordered residents to avoid the vicinity of the volcano and established an exclusion zone for areas within 2 km (1.2 miles) of the crater. Maritime authorities have established another exclusion zone for coastal areas within a two-nautical mile (3.7 km/2.3 miles) radius near Todoque due to the lava flows. Parts of the LP-212 in El Paso, LP2132 in Todoque, and LP2 in Tajuya as well as LP211, LP213 and LP215 routes in Los Llanos de Aridane are closed. Ashfall may reduce visibility and cause hazardous driving conditions.

Ash clouds affected visibility at La Palma Airport (SPC), located 7 km (4 miles) south of Santa Cruz de La Palma, forcing a temporary closure through the evening of Sept. 19; operations have since resumed. Further flight disruptions are possible if winds direct ash clouds in the general direction of the airport.

As of early Sept. 21, there are no reports of casualties or injuries as a result of the volcanic activity. Additional eruptions could cause low-level seismic activity, ash clouds, and landslides, as well as prompt further evacuations, in the surrounding area over the coming days.

Advice

Plan for possible transport disruptions if operating near Teneguia. Avoid areas near the volcano. In the event of a large eruption, use facemasks and observe other precautions to avoid ash inhalation. Monitor local media for updates and confirm flights to and from SPC if volcanic activity intensifies.

Resources

Instituto Volcanologico de Canarias, INVOLCAN (Spanish)
Gobierno de Canarias (Spanish)