The Canary Islands have once again noticed the usual activity of their subsoil with the detection of Three low-magnitude earthquakes in the maritime area between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, recorded during the early hours of a Saturday. According to reports on the seismic activity in the Canary IslandsAlthough they may attract attention because they occur within a few hours and in the same environment, these are small events, typical of a volcanic archipelago like the Canary Islands, and They have not caused any damage nor have they been felt by the population.
These tremors are part of a light but constant seismic activity which scientific organizations have been observing in recent days across the islands. Official data indicates that The energy released is reduced and the volcanic parameters remain stable.Therefore, authorities and specialists insist that There is no cause for alarmHowever, they do recommend staying informed through official channels and resources to follow the situation. earthquakes in real time.
This is how the three earthquakes between Gran Canaria and Tenerife occurred.
According to the most recent record of National Geographic Institute (IGN) and records of recent earthquakesThe three earthquakes were located in the channel separating Gran Canaria and Tenerife, within a period of just three hours. Seismic sensors detected magnitudes of 1,6 mbLg, 1,5 mbLg and 1,9 mbLgThis places these events in the category of microseisms, well below the threshold from which they are usually clearly perceived by the public.
The tremors occurred in the early morning, at very close intervals: 00:48 p.m., 02:18 p.m. and 03:49 p.m.In all cases, the origin was located at between 7 and 9 kilometers deep under the seabed, a range that fits with typical seismic activity in the fault zone and underwater volcanic structures that exists between both islands.
In addition to the channel between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, the IGN has indicated that Other small tremors have also been detected in recent days. in the coastal and inland areas of Tenerife, as well as in nearby waters, all of them low magnitude and at great depth. These records allow us to complete the map of how energy is distributed in the Canary Islands' subsoil, detected thanks to the new surveillance stations.
Specialists emphasize that This type of weak seismicity is expected and considered normal. in a region of volcanic origin. No associated phenomena such as loud noises, movement of objects, or widespread calls to the emergency number have been recorded, which confirms that The earthquakes have gone unnoticed by the vast majority of the population.
The surveillance services remind the public that, while these events do not have the capacity to cause damage, Providing information about them is important because it allows scientists to better understand the behavior of the subsurface and quickly detect any relevant changes in activity patterns.
Recent seismic activity: dozens of minor tremors in just a few days
The three earthquakes between Gran Canaria and Tenerife are not isolated events. According to records from the last few days, Around 40 to 50 low-magnitude earthquakes have been recorded in the Archipelago over a period of about two weeks, without exceeding in most cases magnitudes close to 2,4-2,7 mbLg. This pattern includes recent seismic swarms on Mount Teide and records on other islands.
One of the most recent bulletins details that, during a week of observation, the The Canary Islands Seismic Network recorded around 46 earthquakes scattered across different parts of the archipelago. The largest event was located around 2,7 mbLg, about 85 kilometers west of Fuerteventura, far from the coast and with no impact on daily life on the islands.
In the specific case of Tenerife, the sensors have identified on other days swarms of several tremors which occurred between the early hours of the morning. Some were located at sea, off the southeastern coast, near San Miguel de Tajao and Punta de Abonawith magnitudes around 1,6-1,7 mbLg and depths of more than 30 kilometers. Others were located inland, such as in the area of Santiago del Teideor in southern areas such as Granadilla de Abona and San Isidrowith varying depths between 3 and more than 30 kilometers; some records have been associated with a new active zone.
All these movements have been similarly classified as microseisms or low-intensity earthquakeswithout the capacity to cause structural damage. The combination of appreciable depths and small magnitudes explains why almost all of these events went unnoticed by the residentsBeyond the occasional particularly sensitive individual or someone who was completely silent, this fact aligns with analyses of the seismic risk in Spain and its regional distribution.
Taken together, the records show that The seismic energy released during this period has been lowThe activity is estimated at around 0,08 gigajoules, according to some technical reports. This activity is considered slight and significantly lower than that observed, for example, during the 2021 eruption on La Palma, which helps to put the current situation into context.
Surveillance systems: high sensitivity and continuous monitoring
To understand why so many small earthquakes are detected, it's helpful to look at the observation instruments. Experts from the IGN and the Canary Islands Volcanological Institute (Involcan) have been highlighted for years the high sensitivity and precision of the seismic and volcanic monitoring network deployed in the islandsIn a recent interview, the seismologist Ithaiza Dominguez He emphasized that current systems allow for the recording of events that, a few decades ago, would have gone completely unnoticed.
This advanced technology includes seismic stations distributed over land and seaGeodetic positioning equipment measures millimeter-level ground deformations, and geochemical sensors monitor gases such as carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚). The combination of all this data provides a highly detailed picture of the state of each island's volcanic system and facilitates the detection of any changes that may require enhanced monitoring.
DomÃnguez explained that, in an active volcanic environment, It is normal for small earthquakes to be reported to the public from time to time. These events are considered "within the expected range" and are attributed to crustal adjustments or internal fluid redistribution processes. He insisted that these events do not in themselves imply an increase in volcanic risk.
What would really worry scientists, according to this specialist, would be the appearance of a clear magmatic intrusion: an episode in which the following would be generated Hundreds of earthquakes in a very short time, of greater magnitude and accompanied by rapid ground deformationThis combination of signals would indeed constitute a scenario typical of a possible eruptive process underway or imminent, and would activate specific alert mechanisms.
Currently, the responsible agencies emphasize that These anomalous patterns are not observedThe recorded seismicity is low, the ground deformation shows no relevant changes and the geochemical data, although they reflect certain anomalies, fit with the post-eruptive dynamics and with the usual behavior of the volcanic systems of the Canary Islands.
Volcanic activity indicators, COâ‚‚ and ground deformation in the islands
The latest weekly volcanological report from Involcan, covering the recent period of late November and early December, includes the situation of each island in terms of volcanic alert levelThe so-called volcanic semaphore indicators of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and El Hierro remain in greenThis indicates that residents and visitors can carry out their usual activities with complete normality.
The exception remains La Palma, where the traffic light remains yellow More than three years after the end of the 2021 eruption, Involcan notes that The geophysical and geochemical parameters have not yet returned to pre-eruption valuesTherefore, a heightened level of vigilance is maintained. Even so, the yellow alert simply implies caution and monitoring, not imminent danger.
Regarding volcanic gases, the report highlights the presence of anomalous emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in certain areas of the Archipelago, apart from those already known in La Bombilla and Puerto Naos. The relatively higher values ​​are detected in Tenerife, where since 2016 a pressurization process of the volcanic-hydrothermal system which, according to experts, falls within what is considered normal in the short and medium term behavior of an active volcano.
To improve the control of these emissions, the following measures have been taken: Updated and corrected COâ‚‚ diffuse flow references at certain monitoring stations in Tenerife. This allows for a more precise interpretation of the data and a better distinction between natural variations and changes that could be significant for volcanic risk management.
With regards to ground deformation, a key variable for detecting potential magma upwelling, reports agree that No significant changes have been recorded on any island During the last few days, the stability in this parameter reinforces the idea that the micro-earthquakes and slight seismic activity observed are due to normal internal processes, and that the necessary ingredients for a new eruptive episode are not present.
A volcanic archipelago with moderate and controlled seismicity
Specialists remember that The Canary Islands combine latent volcanic activity with moderate tectonic activityThis means that, in addition to earthquakes directly associated with magmatic dynamics, earthquakes linked to [other factors] can also be recorded. active faultssuch as the one between Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Therefore, it is normal that the earthquake map includes events both within the islands and in the surrounding sea.
Scientists from IGN and Involcan insist that These types of movements, of low magnitude and often at great depth, are common in volcanic territories. And they shouldn't be interpreted in isolation as a cause for alarm. In fact, they emphasize that the Earth's own functioning requires these small adjustments, which often result in imperceptible microseisms.
At the same time, civil protection authorities and scientific services are calling caution when disseminating informationEncouraging citizens to always consult official sources to avoid misunderstandings or rumors that could generate unnecessary anxiety. Transparency in data, with updated public maps and earthquake lists, aims precisely to offer a clear view of what is happening beneath our feet.
The periodic publication of newsletters such as the CANvolcanoFunded by the Canary Islands Government's Directorate General of Emergencies, this project addresses this objective. These documents, technical in nature but accessible, They collect weekly data on seismic activity, the status of volcanic indicators, and the evolution of parameters such as gases and ground deformation., becoming a useful tool for both specialists and the general public.
In this context, the Three low-magnitude earthquakes recorded between Gran Canaria and Tenerife These are understood as one small piece within a broader picture of intense and continuous monitoring. The available data, the stability of the indicators, and the maintenance of green alert levels on most islands suggest that the current situation is... normality within an active volcanic environment, in which microseisms are part of the daily life of the Canary Islands subsoil.
