The National Geographic Institute has recorded in the last few hours a small series of earthquakes on the island of El Hierro, all of low magnitude but concentrated in a short interval of time and under the seabed surrounding the island.
According to provisional data from the agency, which can be consulted at the Interactive map of active volcanoes and recent earthquakes, seismic activity has occurred between Monday night and Tuesday morning, with several tremors located to the west, southwest and south of the territory of El Hierro, at considerable depths and without, in principle, any notable incidents being reported.
Details of the three main earthquakes detected this Tuesday
The information published by the National Geographic Institute includes Three major earthquakes were recorded on Tuesday morning, all of them with magnitudes between 2,5 and 2,9 on the mbLg scale and originating in the sea surrounding the island.
The strongest tremor in the series reached a magnitude of 2,9 mbLgThis event was located in the maritime sector southwest of El Hierro and occurred at 07 pm, at an approximate depth of 39 kilometers under the ocean floor, related to the structure of the earth.
Hours earlier, the IGN had already recorded another seismic event in the area. Around 03:50 in the morning An earthquake of magnitude was detected 2,6, also located at sea, this time south of the municipality of El Pinar, and with a hypocenter located about 19 kilometers deep.
The morning sequence was completed with a third earthquake, of 2,5 mbLg, registered at 08 pmIn this case, the location was situated west of the island of El Hierro, also in the marine environment, at a depth close to 32 kilometers beneath the ocean's surface.
A previous tremor on Monday night
The data indicates that this Seismic activity didn't really begin on Tuesdaybut a few hours earlier. During Monday night, the National Geographic Institute detected a previous earthquake that can be considered the beginning of the sequence.
That first tremor was recorded at 20 pm On Monday, also in the western part of the island, there was a smaller earthquake. 1,7, and was located west of El Hierro, about 14 kilometers deepTherefore, it was a minor event.
These types of tremors, of reduced intensity and located several kilometers below the surface, in the Earth crust, They often go unnoticed by the populationDespite being part of the area's natural activity, the recorded values remain below the threshold at which most people begin to feel an earthquake.
Magnitude, perception and level of risk to the population
The magnitudes of between 2,5 and 2,9 mbLg The magnitudes of Tuesday's earthquakes are considered low on the seismological scale. Earthquakes below magnitude 3 are generally rarely felt clearly by the public, especially when they originate at such great depths as those recorded in this event.
In this context, the values provided by the IGN point to short-duration, energy-limited eventsThere were no signs of damage to infrastructure or significant disruption to daily life on the island. The combination of moderate magnitudes and deep seismic foci considerably reduces the likelihood of the tremors having any noticeable effects on the surface.
It is worth remembering that the public's perception of an earthquake depends not only on its magnitude, but also on factors such as... distance to the epicenter, the depth of the hypocenter, the edges of tectonic platesthe type of terrain or even the characteristics of the buildings. In the case of the events recorded in El Hierro, all have been located underwater several tens of kilometers deep, which helps to mitigate their impact.
El Hierro, an island under surveillance due to its volcanic nature
Since that episode, the National Geographic Institute and other specialized bodies have maintained continuous monitoring Regarding seismic and volcanic activity in the area, this monitoring includes networks of seismographs, geodetic measurements, and other instruments that allow for the detection of variations in the subsurface and a rapid response to any significant changes.
The sequence of small earthquakes detected in the last few hours is therefore part of a context of permanent controlThis is common in volcanic islands in the Atlantic, such as the Canary Islands. The occurrence of low-magnitude movements does not necessarily imply an immediate increase in risk, but it does provide valuable information about the behavior of the volcanic system in the medium and long term.
In these types of scenarios, scientific authorities insist that The key is sustained vigilance and the analysis of trends over time, rather than the isolated interpretation of one or more low-energy tremors. This approach allows for the identification of anomalous patterns and, if necessary, the early activation of information and prevention protocols for the public.
To date, the available data indicate that the series of small earthquakes recorded in El Hierro It responds to the normal dynamics of a volcanic island subjected to internal stresses, with low magnitude earthquakes, deep and centered in the marine environment, without significant effects on the surface and under the constant supervision of the National Geographic Institute.