Red Alert issued in El Hierro town as underwater volcano erupts

October 11, 2011 – CANARY ISLANDS –  El Hierro. Google MapsSpain’s Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN) confirmed on Tuesday that an underwater eruption has occurred five kilomtres off the southern coastline of El Hierro, the smallest of the Canary Island. The eruption is Spain’s first since the eruption in 1971 of the Teneguía volcano on the island of La Palma (Canary Islands). The IGN says all three of its seismic stations on El Hierro in the Canary Islands have registered a volcanic tremor of low frequency in the south of the island at La Restinga, the southern-most village in the Canaries.  Residents of the town were summoned to a local football field on Tuesday afternoon to be briefed on provisional evacuation procedures in the event of another eruption closer to the shore.  The estimated 537 residents are expected to be evacuated. A Red Alert has been issued for the town. Scientists from IGN and CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), meanwhile, have conducted a reconnaissance flight over the sea to the area south of the island, where they have located dead fish floating on the surface five kilometers from the coast. The dead fish were identified in an area where lower seismic magnitude occurred on October 9, at a depth of approximately 2 km. The present volcanic activity is understood to be occurring at a depth of 600 meters (just under one kilometer) below sea level, in the Las Calmas Sea. Scientists from IGN, CSIC and the University of Cadiz have established their monitoring base at La Restinga. Efforts are underway to determine if the subsea volcanic vent is widening and if so, in which direction (away or toward El Hierro). Initial reports of the eruption were received from crews on board four separate ships. Local media agency Canarias7 reported on Monday that Government authorities have suspended ferry activities to and from the 285 square-kilometer island. English language newspaper islandconnections.eu reported: “The maritime chief for the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Antonio Padrón has issued a recommendation that boats should not sail closer than four miles off El Hierro. Divers have also been told to suspend all activities.” –IWO

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