tenerife seismic activity increase 2026

Tenerife seismic activity increases but eruption risk remains low

Seismic activity increase detected under Tenerife

The National Geographic Institute (IGN) has issued a notification to the Canary Islands Government’s Civil Protection Service regarding an increase in the frequency of seismic activity in Tenerife over recent hours, though it stresses that the risk of an eruption in the short or medium term has not risen. This follows the detection of an intensification in volcano-seismic activity beneath the island, mainly west of Las Cañadas del Teide, with 221 low-frequency events recorded in the last 48 hours.

Activity concentrated in early morning hours

From the early hours of Saturday into Sunday, and particularly during the early hours of Sunday into Monday at 2:07am, several pulses of low-frequency seismic activity have been detected in the same area where regular activity has been recorded in recent months. It was at this time that, following standard protocols, the alert was sent to Civil Protection. Sources from the IGN consulted by EFE noted that similar notifications have been sent previously, but this is the first time the public has been informed.

Types of seismic events identified

During this intensification, the IGN has identified ordinary volcano-tectonic events, hybrid events, and LP (long-period) events. All of these have shown a high degree of correlation with each other since Saturday afternoon, although none have been felt by the population. Between last Thursday and Friday, the IGN had already recorded 79 earthquakes in the same location. The detected seismic events are all very similar: their magnitudes are below 2 MbLg, and most epicentres are located in the western area of Las Cañadas, as has occurred previously, primarily within the municipal districts of Guía de Isora, Vilaflor de Fasnia, and Santiago del Teide. Depths are mostly around 10–15 kilometres below sea level.

Comparison with previous activity

The IGN emphasises that this activity is similar to that observed in February and March of this year. Finally, it clarifies that due to the low amplitude of the signals analysed, the data on the number of events, as well as the range of their magnitudes and depths, remain provisional. When a more detailed analysis is carried out, the number of events could increase, and specific magnitude ranges will be provided in the IGN’s official catalogue.

Involcan confirms uptick in micro-earthquakes

Meanwhile, the Canary Islands Seismic Network (Involcan) reported this weekend an increase in seismic activity in Tenerife, with more than 200 volcano-tectonic (VT) micro-earthquakes of very low magnitude recorded in the southwestern sector of the Las Cañadas caldera, at a depth of approximately 10 kilometres. It noted that the maximum magnitude recorded so far was Ml 1.1 on the Richter scale. However, Involcan added that, based on currently available information, ‘no evidence has been identified to indicate an increased probability of a volcanic eruption in the short or medium term in Tenerife.’

Part of ongoing seismic activity since 2017

According to Involcan, this episode is part of the recurring seismic activity that the island has experienced since June 2017. ‘As on previous occasions, its origin is associated with a pressurisation process of the island’s volcanic-hydrothermal system, caused by the injection of fluids of magmatic origin,’ it states. This process has been observed repeatedly since 2016 and is supported by various independent geochemical and geophysical indicators. ‘Among these are the sustained increase in diffuse CO2 emissions in the area of the Teide crater and the slight ground deformation detected since 2024 in the northeastern sector of the Teide-Pico Viejo volcanic complex,’ it adds.

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