Canary Islands record 55 tremors as latest earthquake strikes near Tenerife

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The Spanish institute IGN recorded 55 earthquakes in the Canary Islands within 30 days, an average of 1.8 per day.
On Tuesday at 5.53 pm, the monitoring stations near Tenerife recorded a magnitude 2 earthquake at a depth of 40 kilometres.
Due to the seismic activity around Mount Teide, the Island Council is planning two emergency drills in Guía de Isora and La Laguna.

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At 5.53 pm on Tuesday, monitoring stations recorded a magnitude 2 earthquake near Tenerife. The Spanish National Geographic Institute (IGN) reported that the epicentre, located in the Canary Islands, was 40 kilometres below the Earth’s surface.

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The Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre also analyses the IGN’s data. As early as Monday, monitoring stations recorded a 2.2-magnitude earthquake 40 kilometres off the coast of Tenerife.

The IGN has recorded 55 tremors in the Canary Islands over the past 30 days. This equates to an average of 1.8 tremors per day. Over the past seven days, the institute has recorded 16 tremors, which, according to its figures, were within the usual range.

Tenerife: Measurement data show regular seismic activity

The average magnitude of all earthquakes recorded over the past 30 days is 1.9. The Canary Islands are of volcanic origin, which is why monitoring stations regularly detect minor seismic activity there.

Researchers have identified a large magma chamber beneath Pico Viejo, a subsidiary volcano of Mount Teide. The IGN attributed an earlier series of earthquakes off the north coast of Tenerife to tectonic causes. At least two of the tremors were felt on land at the time.

The Tenerife Island Council has announced that, due to increased activity around Mount Teide, it is planning two emergency drills simulating a volcanic eruption in Guía de Isora and La Laguna. The two earthquakes off Tenerife within hours of each other were also among the most recent readings recorded around the island.