If there was another eruption on a nearby island, it would be a remarkable and improbable coincidence.Ġ0:43 Lava continues to erupt from volcano on Spanish island of La Palma – video Volcanoes aren’t like bombs: they don’t set one another off, even if they are somewhat nearby. But these are highly localised threats, so staying clear of the ocean entry point will ensure you are out of harm’s way.Īre there likely to be further eruptions in the Canaries? I’ve got a holiday booked! ![]() You can also get minor explosions if the magma wraps up and violently cooks seawater, which can jettison volcanic debris into the air. When hot lava meets seawater it quenches, creating a plume of hydrochloric acid, glassy ash and steam – a decidedly problematic concoction. ![]() Will the lava do anything dangerous if it reaches the ocean? Even if the geologic gods were feeling especially grumpy and willed it to happen, the flank collapse would not produce anything close to that apocalyptic tsunami. Not only is Cumbre Vieja structurally stable, but to get a flank collapse of any kind you would need a colossal volcanic explosion to coincide with a remarkably powerful earthquake – a confluence considered so unlikely to happen that it’s not worth considering. A speculative paper from 2001, which formed the basis of an uncritical and sensationalist documentary, suggested the catastrophic collapse of the Cumbre Vieja volcano could cause a tsunami that would drown America’s eastern seaboard in waves up to 25 metres (82ft) high.īut that paper has since been widely debunked scientists consider such a dramatic flank collapse as almost impossible. Volcanologists are concerned about the flanks of unstable volcanoes tumbling into the sea, which can and have triggered destructive tsunamis. I’ve heard that this could cause a landslide and, in turn, a dangerous tsunami. The eruption has become more explosive as of late. A more insidious danger comes courtesy of the density of volcanic ash: the weight of accumulated ash on rooftops can cause them to collapse. ![]() The ash, too, is a problem: it’s not great to breathe in, especially if you have a pre-existing respiratory condition it also creates visibility problems, burns out electric circuits, kills off car engines, pollutes waterways and smothers crops. The primary hazard is the relentless flow of lava – it has already bulldozed through hundreds of homes on the southwestern corner of the island, and it will continue to do so as it crawls its way towards the coast.
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