Spain: Eruption ongoing at Teneguia volcano on La Palma as of Sept. 20, thousands of people evacuated from threatened areas /update 2

Event

As of Sept. 20, 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 the southwestern coast of La Palma are tracking slowly towards the sea, directly affecting the municipalities of El Paso and Los Llanos de Aridane and destroying at least eight homes. Officials have evacuated at least 5,000 people from threatened areas, including from the municipalities of Los Llanos de Aridane, El Paso, Fuencaliente, and Tazacorte. Additional evacuations of up to 10,000 people are likely if conditions worsen. 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. Parts of the LP-105, LP-212, LP-2014, and LP-301 routes are closed. Officials have also advised drivers to avoid sections of route LP-2 between the intersection of Campo de Lucha de Las Manchas and El Sombrero in Tajuya, as well as routes LP-212 and LP-213. 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. 20, no casualties or injuries have been reported 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)