Posted on by Jón Frímann

Special report: Update on El Hierro volcano eruption

While everything is quiet in Iceland. I am going to continue my coverage of the eruption in El Hierro volcano. Information in English also seems to be lacking for some reason. Please note that I have little understanding of Spanish, so I am just using the data that is available to me on the internet to figure out what is going on.

First I want to say that I am not a expert. I never claim to be one. My knowledge of volcanoes and earthquakes are the result of hard work and studying them on my own (reading research papers and other sources).

It is bit unclear what is going on in El Hierro. But from what I can tell least two things have happened during the past 24 hours. The first thing is that a eruption started at ocean floor around 04:18 UTC yesterday (10 October, 2011). This eruption appears to have been small and was not noticed on the surface of the ocean. Around 06:10 UTC this morning (11 October, 2011) a large movement of magma started to take place inside El Hierro volcano. Where exact break up of this magma is going to take place is unclear at the moment. But it is clear that a eruption is taking place and it is more chance then less that magma is going to find it self a new pathway up to the surface soon. As I do not think that the current eruption vent is keeping up with the current magma that is under El Hierro. But it is worth to notice that El Hierro does not seem to have a magma chamber, like Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland so the eruption size is terminated by the current inflow of magma.

Here is a comparison of harmonic tremor charts from yesterday and today (10 and 11 October, 2011).


The harmonic tremor as it was on 10 October, 2011 at 21:08 UTC. Copyright of this picture belongs to Instituto Geográfico Nacional.


The harmonic tremor as it was on 11 October, 2011 at 20:29 UTC. As clearly can be seen it has grown by a margin or more (I can’t tell for sure) in the last few hours. Copyright of this picture belongs to Instituto Geográfico Nacional.

What is however really interesting is how this eruption is changing fast and without any warning at all. But this is however something that might be expected from a volcano like El Hierro. I see in the news that they are expecting earthquake activity before new vents or fissures open up. That is wrong assessment in my opinion. As new eruption vents and fissures can open without any or much earthquakes activity at all. Earthquake activity before a fissure vents open up depends only on the rock that the magma has to break trough. In many cases it does not have to create any earthquakes before a eruption starts. Good example of this is the eruption in Heimaey Island in the year 1973. Only a small earthquake swarm was detected before a eruption started. All I personally except before a eruption in a new place on El Hierro volcano is a minor earthquake activity. It is also hard to know if that earthquake activity can be detected based on the amount of harmonic tremor taking place at the moment.

Here is my personal assessment on where eruption might take place in El Hierro. Please note that it might be completely wrong. But I base my assessment on the data out there, that assessment might be wrong.


The most chance of the eruption in El Hierro in my personal opinion marked by the two red circles. Copyright of this picture belongs (original) to Instituto Geográfico Nacional.

There have been some deep earthquakes in El Hierro volcano over the past few hours. This deep earthquakes mean that new magma is flowing under El Hierro volcano. This means that the flow is steady (pressure pulse in the magma creates the earthquakes). So this eruption is far from being over it seems. How long it is going to last is a good question that currently nobody has a answer to at the moment.

I am going to update this blog post if I have to or if something new happens in El Hierro.

597 Replies to “Special report: Update on El Hierro volcano eruption”

    1. Nope, that is a transient caused by the earthquake that happened. Or more to the point, that is strain building up before the earthquake. That one can see that is actually interesting, seems like Torfajökull is warming up a bit towards something in the next 100 years or so.

      1. @ Carl
        Bowing to your knowledge, could you comment on the tiny blips on the rising/falling limbs on the first +ve curve for HEL, SAU & STO, I’ve seen’m before or are they just pixcels on the line?

  2. EOSO shows a similar but negative effect – paler blue bands at regular frequency spacings. Artefacts: resonance in the detector?

  3. Die RTL Nachrichten sprachen von einer UNTERIRDISCHEN Eruption in El Hierro. So ein Blödsinn.
    Sorry a translation would not work.

    1. UNTERIRDISCHEN??? That’s new to me!
      But now El Mundo seems to be speaking more realistically about what is going on.
      Scientists admit they have little knowledge about the behaviour of Canaries volcanoes and they requested help from scientists abroad.
      They also complain about lack of appropriated instrumental and asked for an equipment belonging to the Telephone company – a submarine robot – presently at Vigo (North of Spain).
      I wonder if they can make it before the real thing occurs.

    2. Was sonst können wir denn von RTL erwarten… Deutschland sucht den Supervulkan… Und alle warten das der Didda der Sylvie einen Pickel ausdrückt… 🙂

    3. naja, RTL ist nicht gerade für viel Hirnmasse bekannt ; )

      Da vertrau ich doch lieber auf ARD oder ZDF was die Nachrichten-(Qualität) angeht

  4. In Canarias7 they are now writing that “the vulcanic energy is going down for the first time in two days. Mª José Blanco (director of IGN) confirms that ‘This is not bad’.”

    I don’t know… Should they be saying this if nobody still knows exactly what is going on at the moment?!?

    http://www.canarias7.es/articulo.cfm?id=233172

  5. media called with urgenty to a press conference in El Hierro capital at 19H

    Néstor Santana Martín Ultima Hora, las autoridades han dado orden a todos los periodistas de la isla que esta tarde a las 7 vayan al cabildo, en la capital de la isla para dar una rueda de prensa urgente.
    há 5 minutos · 2 pessoasJesús Agomar González Guillama e Yesenia Aponte gostam disto. · Traduzir

  7. At this stage there’s no reduction of activity or energy as such, just steps that change the behavior of the system and though the perceptible signs we look at. Still everything simply steps on the way, heading towards eruption.

  8. A comment on AVCAN facebook page, 12 min ago:
    Ultima Hora, las autoridades han dado orden a todos los periodistas de la isla que esta tarde a las 7 vayan al cabildo, en la capital de la isla para dar una rueda de prensa urgente.

    Latest news: authorities have given an order to all the reporters on the island that this evening at 7 they should go to Cabildo, in the capital of the island, for a urgent press conference.

  10. AVCAN: here is the eartquake when tremor stopped:

    En el mapa automático de AVCAN pueden verse los últimos 10 sismos con todos sus detalles, en cuanto el sistema actualice en la parte inferior de la tabla, el último cuando se ha producida la caida abruta del tremor se ha localizado la zona frente a cala Tacoron y ha sido:
    1104804 12/10/2011 15:56:56 27.6653 -18.0378 16 1.5 4 SW EL PINAR.IHI

    1. And then they stand corrected, since loss of tremor happened at 14:30 or so:

      ‎@AVCAN, el sismo de las 15:56 no ha sido el que ha provocado el bajón de intensidad del tremor, eso sucedió a las 14:24

  12. What if the earthquake just was a path-clearing when the magma was pushed into a somewhat wider system, only for the pressure to build up again now that it meets the next boundary?

    2. That was my idea too. The dragon broke one ironlock with a big rumble and now steps more silently forward until it meets the next lock, or, at least, comes out to spit fire.

  13. There is a Icelandic company called Gavia that produces submarines who are useful in this type of research. http://www.gavia.is/

    I am sure they have sold this all over Europe, so it should not be hard ti find one and rent it to inspect the ocean floor in close to El Hierro.
    There is at least one in Portugal.
    http://www.gavia.is/News/Press-Releases/

    This one sailed from Iceland to the Canary Islands, over 4000 km in 5 months.
    http://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2011/06/23/kafbatur_fra_islandi_til_kanari/

  14. I can’t see an earthquake listed at the time the activity reduced which brings into question why the sudden drop – whatever it was, has been plugged somehow but that probably does not mean any reduction in pressure. My guess is to expect, either the activity to slowly build again – or something will pop elsewhere.

    1. Yes, the harmonic tremor seems to be pulsing, does anyone know why this would be? A guess would be good. 😉

  19. Magma wobbling in the tubes was mentioned a day or so ago – someone posted a link to a scientific report – could that be related?

      1. yes that’s what I meant – still don’t know if that actually applies to this though.

      3. – me neither!!
        I suppose you’d look for patterns resembling wagging in the 1sec- resolution tremor data stream.

  21. Yes, either –

    a. The magma is pushing against rock searching out an opening and eruption is imminent, or
    b. The magma flow is being reduced and maybe even reversed, and the eruption will subside for months, maybe years, or
    c. The previous tremors reflected the release of (mostly) hot gas, which escaped quickly and smoothly, compared to slower, jerkier, magma, or
    d. Something else.

    🙂

  22. Sorry if I am repeating what others have said / asked but I have been away from my computer for a while.

    What happened at around 14:30 at El Hierro? The waveform contracted and there appear to have been a few earthquakes imediately preceding this. Has the magma got stuck somewhere or has a block cleared so the magma can move more freely? or is everyone waiting to see?

    http://www.ign.es/imgn/head/volcaSenalesDiasAnterioresHora.do?nombreFichero=CHIE_2011-10-12_14-15&estacion=CHIE&Anio=2011&Mes=10&Dia=12&tipo=2&hora=14-15

  23. andone able to make a semblance plot from those big changes in the activity (first down, and then back up) to see whether they occurred at the same spot or if it has moved. Or is the margin of error too small to make it clear?

    1. ‘andone’ should have been ‘anyone’ obviously Lurking is the man, but he seems to be absent so I was thinking ‘and is there anyone else’.

      2. We don’t want to bombard the man with emails, who wrote to IGN earlier? Ask them and copy him in?

      3. I suspect they are keeping an eye us! That way they know in advance what questions Hierro inhabitants will ask them next.

      4. Never good to assume. Many people are naturally insular regarding their work – it happens in most fields and there are of course language barriers. A gentle polite nudge in the right direction never harms 🙂

  24. In a press conference right now the government are saying they have found two different colored spots in the water, with dead fishes and a strong smell of sulfur. The spots are located 1,5 and 2 miles out in the sea from La Restinga, and the water is 500 and 750 meters deep in the area.

    2. Also on AVCAN:
      Sergio Suarez Se confirma erupcion volcanica. Hay emision d lava, cambio el color del mar, fuerte olor a azufre y peces muertos. Al parecer hay manchas en el mar. Una a 1,5 millas y otra a 1 milla. Info de la rueda de prensa que se esta ofreciendo ahora.

      Adding to those two spots strong sulphurous smell and lava emissions, this guy says 1 and 1.5 miles for the spots.

    3. Actualidad Volcánica de Canarias (AVCAN)
      El PEVOLCA confirma un proceso eruptivo en marcha en dos puntos diferentes por la presencia de dos manchas en el mar, con fuerte olor a azufre y con aparicion de peces muertos. Serían a 500 y 700 metros de profundidad. Curiosamente ahora sí que aparecen evidencias en superficie al contrario que cuando se inició el proceso hace un par de días.

      PEVOLCA confirms an on-going eruptive process on two different spots based on presence of two spots on the sea, with strong sulphurous smell and with dead fish. These are at 500 and 700 metres depth. Curiously it seems that now there is evidence on the surface of the ocean, contrary to what happened when the process started a couple of days ago.

  25. Are there differences in seismographs that would be a problem. Are all machines by IGN or AVCAN

  26. As Spain has several P3 aircraft fly one to El Hierro and drop several DIFAR hydrophones in the area they can give a very accurate directional location and record any sound under the sea rather well. As a side benefit all the money wasted on them would give a valuable return on the investment

    1. Gina, Yes! Swords into ploughshares.
      I bet it comes down to who pays the bill!

  28. However they did not mention anything about the sudden drop in activity today. Silly question maybe, but could that have been when the second eruption started? The magma hit an obstacle, moved on and continued erupting in a second area? Or are there two eruptions going on at the same time now?

  29. Finally a bit of something like solid info about this ominous sidekick underwater eruptions…

  30. Earthquake intensity has dramatically decreased it seems. What happened to moving magma? Only 8 earthquakes yesterday and on monday there was 31 earthquakes. Seismograph looks almost normal now. Did magma found large chamber?

    1. Perfectly normal; eruption starts, earthquakes stop, pretty much. Conduits are open, eruption proceeds with harmonic tremor replacing discrete earthquakes.

      Mike

  32. The second eruption occurred closer to the coast.
    Signs are evident: strong smell of sulphur, water discoloration and dead fishes.
    Since magma is being released, tremor is diminishing, but no reason to lower the alert levels, because activity is ongoing and new fissures are likely to open, according to the press interview.

    2. There is a chance over 75% that a new vents are going to continue to open up on El Hierro. As the pressure from the magma has not dropped that much it seems.

      There is a lot of magma down there and more is coming from depth it seems.

      1. Jon
        Was there an estimate of its volume?
        Would it be reasonable to estimate it from the lateral and vertical displacements between SOBA and FRON , which extends down to REST?
        If so we should try. It would at least give us a comparison with an Icelandic volcano. Order of magnitude ‘guesstimate’.
        Peter

      2. I do not know exactly how much magma is down there. But I would think it is at least double that of Eyjafjallajökull volcano last year. But it is hard to know that for sure.

        But this magma did move the rock 40mm up from the depth of 15 km or so. If my understanding of the GPS data is correct.

  34. Risk-culture has yet not reached full maturity in many countries, the USA are probably one impressive examples. Analyse what can happen, deal with what is “dealable”, prepare for the events that have consequences that are difficult to prevent. Don’t let anyone fool or bullshit you and your own ability to think.

  35. I am now using my laptop (at my parents home). I am missing the link to the El Hierro web page with the map and earthquake total strain released.

  37. Are we able to map the two eruption areas and see in which direction the fissure is headed? Assuming it could progress further ?

  38. There are a lot of things to read, when I’m coming home from work! Wow! 🙂
    It looks like “swarm intelligence” here!

    I hope the officials at El Hierro are followers too!

    1. The officials maybe not (yet), but some of the geologists maybe : )

      perhaps one of them comes foreward in a free minute

    1. La distancia de las erupciones en curso de la zona de la Restinga

      1- boca eruptiva: 5.5 – 7 millas – 970-1000 m de profundida…d
      2- boca eruptiva: 2 – 2.5 millas – 700 m de profundidad
      3- boca eruptiva: 1 – 1,5 millas – 500 m de profundidad

      La pregunta es, ¿seguira acercandose a la isla?.

  40. Impresionante el tremor, ya sabemos por donde ha roto, por lo que parece el PEVOLCA en rueda de prensa se confirma un proceso eruptivo en marcha en dos puntos diferentes por la presencia de dos manchas en el mar, con fuerte olor a azufre y con aparicion de peces muertos.

    La distancia de las erupciones en curso de la zona de la Restinga

    1- boca eruptiva: 5.5 – 7 millas – 970-1000 m de profundidad
    2- boca eruptiva: 2 – 2.5 millas – 700 m de profundidad
    3- boca eruptiva: 1 – 1,5 millas – 500 m de profundidad

    La pregunta es, ¿seguira acercandose a la isla?.

    En la 1 han salido imagenes, supongo que en las noticias en unos minutos saldrán mas…no se las pierdan (Enrique).

    Google tranlate
    Impressive tremor, we know from where it broke, it seems the news conference PEVOLCA confirmed eruptive process in place at two different points by the presence of two spots in the sea, with a strong sulfur smell and appearance of dead fish.

    The distance of the ongoing eruption of the Restinga area

    1 – eruptive mouth: 5.5 – 7 miles – 970-1000 m deep
    2 – eruptive mouth: 2 – 2.5 miles – 700 m depth
    3 – eruptive mouth: 1 – 1.5 miles – 500 m depth

    The question is, will continue to approach the island?.

    1 In the pictures have come out, I guess in the news in a few minutes more will not lose them … (Enrique).

    1. «En la 1 han salido imagenes, supongo que en las noticias en unos minutos saldrán mas…no se las pierdan (Enrique).»
      On Channel 1 they have shown images, I suppose that in the news bulletin that starts in few minutes there’ll be more … don’t lose the opportunity (Enrique).

      Anyone seen any pictures yet? I suppose of the green colored spots in de water..

  42. AVCAN at FB, 10 min ago:

    Impressive tremor, we know where broken, it seems the news conference PEVOLCA confirmed eruptive process in place at two different points by the presence of two spots in the sea, with a strong sulfur smell and appearance of dead fish.

    The distance of the ongoing eruption of the Restinga area

    1 – eruptive mouth: 5.5 – 7 miles – 970-1000 m depth
    2 – eruptive mouth: 2 – 2.5 miles – 700 m depth
    3 – eruptive mouth: 1 – 1.5 miles – 500 m deep

    The question is, will continue to approach the island?.

    1 In the pictures have come out, I guess in the news in a few minutes more … will not lose them (Henry).

      2. Very frustrating, indeed. 500 responses, or even more, every day. Begins to resemble the fractionning in the Hengill area – out of control… 🙂

      5. I have control. It is a lot of comment. But I do not think it is a lot when Katla volcano finally erupts.

        I am expecting a crazy day when that happens.

      6. Was meant the funny way. No doubt you still manage it all like a chef. Just happy for you. Do you know a lot of blogs with so many visitors and posts? I don’t… 🙂 Yessssss!

      9. Oh Carl, after all this years somebody “horked” (may I use it like that?) enough on that planet to get my x-th degree references and allusions… I nearly have a tear rolling down my rocky cheek…

      12. I bet on one thing though…
        Since we all have said that the eruption will not start with steam…

        For days before the eruption starts there will hundreds of mysteiously steaming thingies going off…

  43. Hmmmmm! It would appear our discussions are “Over heating”.
    I would say we are pretty temperate in our various reasonings considering nobody knows what the volcano will do next.
    At least we are not prophesying mega eruptions and tsunamis.
    We are discussing the the actual records as we see them and trying to put them into context.
    The regular readers of this blog will understand that any discussions here are based on, in some cases, many years of experience in the field and from analysing data from the many monitoring stations set up by the Icelandic government and educational bodies.
    It has always been accepted practice here that when putting forward a theory, idea or suggestion that it be accompanied by relevant links to scientific papers or actual data.
    This ensures that readers think carefully before making statements so as not to encourage scare mongering.
    The people here are also really helpful and are only too happy to answer questions or explain something that a reader may wish to understand more fully.

    1. Great statement for this blog!
      Do you mean in general or something special?

      I can follow the things that happening all day long only a few hours a day and then I was loking for some news at this time… like some others here.

    2. Very good post Diana.
      -Please link to sources if you have them.
      -If you are an expert in a field, and do not have time to quote and so on, say that clearly (I am a culprit of this). For those that are interested, I did my Ph.D. dissertation on Wave propagation theory (Physics).
      -If you are putting forth a theory, say that it is a theory, and it is usefull if you state how speculative you think it is.
      -Be very polite 🙂
      -If you are not crazy in some friendly way, consider another forum.

      Welcome to the bar, the sheep are on the left, leave the clothes at the door, please take a complimentary hat to BBQ.

      1. …feathers might be usefull too…
        Long life to our sheep emperors. Erm, you know what I mean…

      3. Erm, yes. Well then, let us grant her the status of goddess, then everything works again in the concept. Little extreme, I admit, but special problems require special solutions.

    4. Ooooh Diana, so many mmmmmmm and “overheating” written by you in one single post – I think I feel tremor under the alps… And are the sheep in the neighborhood singing or is it me going nuts? 🙂
      Ah, and one more thing: well “said”! But you just got us used to that… 😉

  44. @Jón!

    Seems like the blog has gotten a big following. As Jack has pointed out there is starting to be a lot of comments, so perhaps you could do a short little update post? It would make it easier to follow the postings.
    I don’t think you need to write one of your normal longer posts, just a little short one so we can move the thread to a “new home” sort of.
    Thanks, and keap up the good work!
    Carl

    1. Furious with my Ipad’s shortcomings of keeping up with all the comments yesterday I spent a second contemplating that we soonish deserve a proper JONFR-forum to host our collective speculations in…

      Just saying!

      1. I’m tipping on my iPhone… Sooooooooooo small for that purpose!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

    2. Great Blog Jon idd keep up te good work 🙂
      It’s “frustrating” that when you are finished reading the new comments there are again new comments to read 😛
      No just kidding I like it 🙂 Learning a lot

      I think btw that this eruption is far from over. so this high comment blogging rate while probably continue for a while.. 😛
      Sander

    3. New blog post is planned a bit later tonight on El Hierro. I need to collect some information first and wait for the internet to be not that darn slow that it is at my parents home (it is a poor 3G connection).

    4. I ususally quit trying to read the blog with my mobile (a decent one for surfing) after 50-100 comments per thread. But this 500 comments is killing the pleasure even on PC screen!

      Jon, I highly concur with Carl, especially after 200-300 posts.

      1. I threw my iPhone in the river Themes a few months ago. I have an old wonky Nokia dumb-phone now and instead got myself a 17 inch LED-screened i7 with a 2BG Radeon GPU to be able to scroll up and down this site faster. Big is actually better 🙂

      2. True for BBQ too. And the chicks that say it isn’t so are lying…
        Outch, this one is very sad and puts me underneath Moho, I know. Baaaaah, it is like it is, one is what one is…

      3. I’m using 20″ and 24″ ‘ers and it is still a pain with 100s’ of comments…

      5. The comment pages break up on the web page after about 120 comments. But not on the mobile site. I do not know why that is. But it is a issue on large comment blog posts.

  45. Some OT to cool us down 😉

    Liv Tyler decended 120 meters into a dormant volcano caller Trihnukagigar, (it means 3 peaks carters), where she inspected the inside of this old volcano.
    http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/10/12/liv-tyler-explores-iceland-volcano-and-meets-with-yoko-ono/

    I wonder what what the Elves down there were thinking 🙂
    http://l-o-t-r.tumblr.com/post/2406908156/the-lovely-liv-tyler-dressed-as-arwen-she-is

    There is a plan to make a tunnel into the magma chamber so that tourists can see what the inside of a volcano looks like.
    http://mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2011/10/04/hrikaleg_staerd_og_litadyrd/

    http://www.ferlir.is/?id=5515

      2. Don’t forget some might like Legolas rather than Arwen, I mean as an alternative to sheep. Those we need for the BBQ, so I wouldn’t like too many to do “things” with them. Let’s not forget their holy status in our new building society…

  46. So… if I understand this correctly: three eruption sites, each one progressively closer to land. Isn’t this just about what Jón said about new vents continuing to open up?

    Question: is there a pattern to the new vents, i.e, will they continue in a line toward the island, or should we expect some surprise appearances?

  47. Must admit – I’ve offered a couple of guesses at what may happen next – and based on nothing more than enthusiastic interest. Now that we have an active and on-going situation, it’s probably better I leave it to the experts so that the blog retains it’s credibility. Good reading though – keep it up !

  48. I think it is one eruption, but that it is a fully blown fissure eruption. Think of Krafla-fires here. So what we are seeing on the surface are the signs of the larger eruption sites on the fissure.

    1. And when would you say the actual eruption has started? I can’t figure it out properly.

      1. 34h 23m 18s ago.

        I think I would need divination to know that. Somewhere during the last 72 hours.
        I think it has been one long eruption through a fissure. I would guess something like 5km longish. And fissure do not erupt all the way, it has a series of eruptive spots. I guess we are having a mini-flood basalt down there.

      2. Until tonight I imagined things quite a different way.
        Great development! Exciting.
        Now I wonder more than ever how it will finally evolve. Impressive pressure build up in parallel to an ongoing eruption. Influx from underneath isn’t bad…

      3. I think I will write a thingy on what I think is happening, and why, and how, and so one. But I will do it when it has calmed down a bit in here. Because now it would just drown out.

      4. I remember the moment as the 2010 eruption Fimmvördurhals is enlarged and I (via webcam) could see escape all the snow scooters. Can I think of the El hierro as something similar, only under water?

      6. Thanks, Carl! I like to think in pictures to understand..
        Good night! Looking forward to your postings.

  49. Rivero: “No significant changes are observed seismic event yesterday afternoon”
    The Plan will address access to La Restinga in a controlled manner for the collection of household goods and medicines
    It is also studying the possibility of moving the fishing fleet at the port of La Restinga Stakes order that they can continue fishing

    The Steering Committee of the Specific Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Response for Volcanic Risk (PEVOLCA) met this morning at the Cabildo de El Hierro, was attended by the President of the Canary Islands, Paulino Rivero, and the Minister of Economy , Finance and Security, Javier González Ortiz, President of the Cabildo de El Hierro, Alpidio Weapons, as well as the government delegate, Dominica Fernández, representatives of the insular organization of the three municipalities of the island and technicians who IGN assessed the evolution of volcanic seismic phenomenon and the measures taken so far.

    In this regard, the Prime Minister said that IGN scientists have not found significant changes since yesterday afternoon so it maintains the status of volcanic red light to the La Restinga, and recommended caution and keep no accurate data that can be produced a reorientation of the phenomenon that ultimately affect the population.

    In any case, Rivero announced that it will proceed to enable timely access to the population of the Restinga need to collect any belongings from their homes as clothing or medicine. These accesses will be conducted in a controlled manner by Civil Protection in collaboration with security forces. Also studying the possibility of moving the fishing fleet at the port of La Restinga Stakes order that they can continue fishing.

    Given this climate of uncertainty and facing the coming days, President canary again recognized the excellent behavior of the citizens of El Hierro and La Restinga specifically to follow faithfully and calmly directed the authorities working to ensure their safety.

    Executive President also thanked the collaboration between government and the work of the media, who recalled that official information is transmitted only through the Cabinet Information provided for this purpose.

    Also announced that management is considering plan to make available alternative means for scientists to help study more closely the situation such as a boat with sonar that can identify the area of ​​volcanic phenomena.

    Among the security measures to ensure the safety of the population remains the designation by the Maritime Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife maritime exclusion zone which is closed to shipping, fishing, diving, sports or recreation in the area within a radius of four nautical miles from the tip of La Restinga.

    Further, it remains closed in both directions road HI 4, Tacorón crossing and access tunnels Roquille.

    Finally, people displaced during the day yesterday in the area of ​​La Restinga remain relocated to other homes or homes of relatives, while the rest, most tourists remain in the residence Valverde School and the Municipal Sports Pavilion.

    http://www.emergenciaselhierro.org/

    Giggle translated

  50. NOTA 256 AVCAN – ENJAMBRE SISMO-VOLCÁNICO – ISLA DEL HIERRO – 12 OCTUBRE 2011-22:00h peninsular – La actividad sísmica continúa alta, con pocos sismos localizados y continuamos una fuerte señal de tremor armonico, aunque hoy ha bajado notablemente desde las 14:30h desde entondes sigue constante con algunas variaciones al alza. La magnitud de los sismos entre 2.6 y 1.5. Nuevos sismos 5. Profundidades a 13, 14, 15, 15, y 16km. Anteayer 31. Ayer 8. Hoy van 10. En total van 10022 sismos localizados en El Hierro por el IGN desde las 9:00h del día 19 de Julio de 2011 (Enrique).

    News 256 AVCAN – Seismo-volcanic swarm, El Hierro, 12 Oct 2011, 22:00 island time.
    Seismic activity continues to be high, with few earthquakes localised. Also with a strong signal of harmonic tremor, although today it has noticeably decreased since 14:30, since then however it continues as constant with a few variations in height (amplitude). Magnitude of earthquakes between 2.6 and 1.5. 5 new earthquakes. Depths of 13, 14, 15, 15 and 16km. The day before yesterday 31 earthquakes. Yesterday 8. today 10. In total there were 10022 earthquakes localised at El Hierro by IGN since 9:00 on 19 July 2011 (Enrique).

      1. Ah, sorry, there’s more explanation in the comments:

        SISMOS DÍA 12 OCT. – Amarillo (10) -> Yellow
        SISMOS DÍA 11 OCT. – Azul (8) -> Blue
        SISMOS DÍA 10 OCT. – Rojo (31) sismos 0-5km en Naranja (4) -> Orange
        SISMOS DÍA 09 OCT. – Verde (69) sismos 0-5km en Verde claro (37) -> Light blue

        And more text:
        Hoy día 12 de diciembre, la sismicidad localizada está difusa por toda la isla, aun asi da algo de información, formando casi la estrella mercedes centradad en la zona del Tanganasoga, como deciamos esta mañana. El último sismo corresponde a la zona del julan al otro lado del tanganasoga, en donde hoy ya se acumulan 3 sismos a a 18.1, 14.6 y 15.1km de profundidad que pueden indicar la entrada de más magma en el sistema en esa zona. Tambien se aprecia el dique o falla por donde está entrando el magma con la alineación de los sismos en dirección NNW-SSE, siendo esa linea la de mayor probabilidad para futuras nuevas bocas eruptivas… ¿seguira desplazandose la actividad hacia el norte ?, veremos que pasa(Enrique).

        Today 12 Oct, seismicitiy was dispersed over the entire island. Even so with the information it seems that it is forming a “mercedes star” centred on the zone of Tanganasoga, as we said this morning. The last earthquake corresponded to the zone of julan (?) on the other side of Tanganasoga, where today three earthquakes occured at depths 18.1, 14.6 and 15.1, which could indicate that more magma is entering in the system of this zone. This could also point to a dyke from which the magma is etnering, corresponding to direction of earthquakes from NNW-SSE. There is a high probability that any new vents will follow this line. Is the activity moving north? We shall see what happens. (Enrique)

      3. Ursula
        SISMOS DÍA 12 OCT. – Amarillo (10)
        SISMOS DÍA 11 OCT. – Azul (8)
        SISMOS DÍA 10 OCT. – Rojo (31) sismos 0-5km en Naranja (4)
        SISMOS DÍA 09 OCT. – Verde (69) sismos 0-5km en Verde claro (37)

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