All eyes were on Teide as a swarm of earthquakes persisted from Thursday into Saturday morning. Scientists and officials remained vigilant, watching how this seismic sequence evolves in case it signals the onset of volcanic activity. For now, experts say the development is not alarming and reflects a common pattern in the region.
The National Geographic Institute detected 25 earthquakes early on Saturday near Tenerife, with a magnitude around 2 and an epicenter located in Guia de Isora at a depth of 23 kilometers. Most of these quakes exceeded magnitude 1 and intensified over a four-hour window between 1:00 and 5:00 local time, with depths ranging from 9 to 26 kilometers.
At dawn on Friday, IGN had logged 458 earthquakes in the Cañadas del Teide area, though only 13 were detected at that time due to their small size, and five more had been recorded by Thursday morning.
The location of the Saturday swarm is visible in the accompanying map produced by IGN.
The tremors, scientists note, are not currently a cause for immediate concern. The total energy released by the 458 movements detected in the Teide-Cañadas region on Friday would be equivalent to a magnitude 2 earthquake, according to seismologist Itahiza Domínguez of IGN. This is a measure of accumulated energy rather than a sign of approaching eruption.
within normal
However, the sequence does not provide a reliable forecast of an imminent eruption, since it falls within normal seismic activity for Tenerife. While this activity is not the island’s usual pattern, it is not unprecedented either. “We have records of similar movements in 2016 and 2019,” Domínguez notes, highlighting that the number, location, and size of earthquakes in recent hours bear resemblance to past examples. He stresses that Tenerife’s seismic network remains quite sensitive to tiny tremors, underscoring the ongoing monitoring effort.
The movements occurred at a depth of roughly 13 kilometers in the Las Cañadas region, southeast of Pico Viejo, with a maximum magnitude of 1.6; most quakes did not exceed magnitude 0.3.
without throwing anything away
Researchers continue to explore why Teide experiences these transient “episodes,” which may be linked to the movement of magma in the chamber beneath the island. In the long term, scientists do not rule out that some seismic activity could precede a future eruption. Domínguez points to the activity of underlying gases as a potential factor, emphasizing that Tenerife’s volcanic system is markedly more complex than that of some neighboring islands. Observers stress a cautious approach, combining continuous measurement with careful interpretation to avoid overreading each tremor as a sign of imminent danger.
The memory of past eruptions remains a reference point for current observations. Tenerife has a background level of activity, typically registering a few hundred earthquakes annually in comparison with other volcanic islands in the region where activity is often much lower in normal years. In comparison, El Hierro and La Palma have reported notable sequences in association with their larger events, including tens of thousands of detected quakes prior to both submarine and terrestrial eruptions. This context helps scientists gauge the current swarm without jumping to conclusions about an eruption.
There has been no deformation associated with this movement. The swarm subsided around five in the morning after several hours of sustained activity and has not reactivated since. The seismology team remains cautious but confident that the event has not progressed beyond what is typically observed in such sequences. Ongoing vigilance is advised as researchers continue to collect data and refine interpretations.
Keeping a close watch on Tenerife’s seismic activity is essential for timely understanding and public safety. Ongoing analysis will assess whether this swarm is part of a normal cycle of activity or a precursor to more significant changes beneath the island’s surface. For those following developments, seismologists emphasize that the region’s volcanic systems require long-term observation rather than immediate conclusions.
Note: No external links are provided here. Citations are drawn from official seismology sources and ongoing monitoring reports attributed to the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN). The information reflects current assessments by the seismic team and their interpretation of the data in the context of Tenerife’s volcanic history.
End users can track earthquakes in Tenerife through official monitoring summaries issued by IGN, with a focus on recent tremor sequences and any changes in depth, magnitude, or frequency. The IGN team remains ready to update the public as new data emerge. For researchers and policymakers, this continual stream of information supports informed decisions about hazard assessment and risk communication.
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