Interest in seismicity has grown in Tenerife after a unusual activity under Izaña Mountain, an area that was traditionally considered quiet. This year, the island has seen a significant number of small tremors, with events that, although very weak, paint a geological picture of ongoing uncertainty. internal reorganization.
The records of the National Geographic Institute describe microseisms At a shallow depth and low magnitude, they are imperceptible to the population. This behavior does not constitute an alarm, but it does reinforce the need for constant vigilance in a volcanic territory where background seismicity is part of the natural functioningThe episodes are reflected in the scientific instrumentation.
Tenerife and its seismic hotspots
The island seismic map is organized into three main areas: The Cañadas del Teide, the emerging focus of Izaña and the marine area of the volcano of In the middle, between Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Overall, the sensors have already recorded more than a thousand events so far this year, with clear contrasts in depth and mechanisms.
Izaña: an emerging focus
In the area around the Teide telescopes, around 56 microearthquakes in the last year, with magnitudes equal to or less than 1 and depths ranging between 4 and 7 kilometers. Due to their size and location, they are not perceived by residents and are only reflected in the instrumentation.
The first episodes date back to late spring and, since then, the pattern has been consolidating Izaña as a point to observe. Specialists consider several explanations, with greater weight for processes of island setting linked to their structure and volcanic load; a direct magmatic origin has not yet been confirmed.
The Teide Canyons, under scrutiny since 2016
The Las Cañadas sector attracts the greatest scientific attention. Since 2016, up to six seismic swarms, formed by tens or hundreds of very small tremors in short intervals. They present a low frequency component associated with the interaction with fluids, a signature compatible with the presence of magma at depth.
Furthermore, in 2023, extremely low amplitude ground deformations were measured in the vicinity of Teide. These signals, at the level of the instrumental noise, have not shown sustained growth in the last two years, so they are not interpreted as an indication of an imminent eruption.
Activity in the surroundings of the Enmedio volcano
In the marine strip between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, several hundred earthquakes have been recorded this year, with generally small magnitudes and depths reaching up to about 36 kilometersAlthough it is popularly linked to the Enmedio volcano, the IGN analysis does not see clear signs of magmatic dynamics in these events.
The scientific debate includes three main hypotheses: a fault not yet demonstrated that would separate the islands; adjustments due to load changes between the volcanic edifices of Tenerife and Gran Canaria; and a thinner oceanic crust that would offer magma a preferred route (a theory that also raises doubts due to the absence of characteristic swarms).
Recent seismicity on the island
In recent days several tremors have been located in La Orotava y Arico, with magnitudes ranging from less than 1 to slightly above 2, and depths close to 6 km. This behavior fits with seismic activity. usual low energy in Tenerife.
None of these events have been felt widely nor have they prompted changes in alert levels. Surveillance remains active and coordinated, a standard practice in a volcanic archipelago where the prudence It is part of the protocol.
How it is monitored and what it means for the population
The IGN station network, in collaboration with universities and international centers, detects tiny signals using seismometers and geodetic systems. This deployment allows for the identification of swarms, estimation of depths, and measurement of small deformations of the terrain with high temporal resolution. In addition, they have promoted new surveillance stations on the island.
For residents, the key message is twofold: low-magnitude seismic activity is normal in Tenerife and does not in itself imply imminent danger; at the same time, ongoing monitoring makes it easier to anticipate scenarios and fine-tune the situation when activity changes.
Current photography places Tenerife as a dynamic volcanic territory, with Izaña emerging as a new point of interest alongside Las Cañadas and the marine environment of Enmedio. With more than a thousand mild tremors this year, the island confirms a seismic pulse low, which, far from alarming, reiterates the usefulness of a fine and sustained surveillance.
