The latest updates from Pevolca, Involcan and the IGN inform that the lava from the La Palma volcano has begun to form ground in the sea with a delta 500 metres wide and, for now, the wind is keeping the water vapour and possibly toxic gases generated by the contact between the lava and the seawater, away from the island.
Just in case, and until there are definitive test results of the gases emitted, the confinement of the residents of San Borondón, Marina Alta, Marina Baja and La Condesa is maintained, as is a navigation exclusion zone of two miles from Tazacorte.
Scientists monitoring the activity of the volcano do not see evidence that the dynamics of the eruption are stable. Rubén Fernández, technical director of Pevolca said this evening, “the eruption is not stabilized and that is beyond our control. The eruptive process is still active, with a predominance of effusive activity, that is, the emission of fluid lava, and along the fronts of the lava flows that have reached the sea, there may be significant advances".
He has also explained that the volcano may continue to show episodes of an increase and decrease in activity, as happened on Monday morning, when it had practically stopped before evolving into a Hawaiian phase, that rather than a Strombolian one, fiercely emitting more rocks and lava.
The column of ash and gases that the volcano is emitting has reached 3,500 metres of altitude in the last few hours, and the daily emission of sulphur dioxide has increased to 10,757 tons.
The positive news is that the air quality continues to be good, although in one of the mobile monitoring stations in Los Llanos de Aridane on Tuesday, more than 50 micrograms of particles were measured per cubic metre, which does not imply an excess of the limits established in the regulations, but it is enough to keep monitoring it.
More good news is that due to the direction of the wind, the impact of ash and gases on flights has reduced, and in fact, Binter airlines and CanaryFly have resumed their operations with La Palma airport today, although some fine ash could reach the island of El Hierro in the next few hours.
THE EFFECTS OF LAVA IN THE SEA
The long-awaited and concerning arrival of the lava into the sea has caused, for now, the creation of a delta approximately half a kilometre wide while the ocean around it has changed colour due to the effects of the volcanic material.
Eugenio Fraile, from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), reported from the Ramón Margalef observation ship, which is permitted inside the exclusion zone and is one kilometre away from the point where the lava entered the water, that the lava is continuing to fall quietly into the sea.
Live feed of the volcano from TV Canarias
Only at the moment of contact between the volcanic material and the sea are small clouds of gases formed, which are being transported by the wind but are quickly being diluted into the air. The scientist also highlighted that a small collapse has occurred in the area of the cliffs where the lava has fallen.
Fraile also explained that there has been a discolouration of the water and in some areas, it is turquoise and in others brown, especially in the area near the lava. He reminded that this phenomenon was seen ten years ago during the underwater volcanic eruption by El Hierro, in which the sea was turned various colours until the magma came out.
FUTURE ENRICHMENT OF THE SEA BED
José Carlos Hernández, professor of marine biology at the University of La Laguna, points out that the lava is falling into the sea in an area where marine life is quite poor, and that in the long run it will enhance the diversity of organisms, and will form a new rocky reef, however it will take time for the lava to cool and colonize with organisms.
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has announced today that he will return to La Palma, although he has not specified when, and has assured that the administrations will start working to approve a decree-law as soon as possible "with much more aid" for the residents of the island.
Sánchez has once again conveyed "solidarity and the certainty that the Government is with La Palma," he said.
