New earthquake at Teide ending 10 days of calm, but no risk of eruption
A new earthquake has been recorded beneath Mount Teide, bringing an end to more than ten days of seismic calm in the area. The National Geographic Institute (IGN) confirmed the tremor was detected yesterday afternoon (Sunday 29th March), in the Las Cañadas area of Teide National Park.
According to official monitoring data, the earthquake occurred at 5:01pm and registered a magnitude of 1.5 on the Richter scale. The epicentre was located deep underground at around 17 kilometres below the surface, well within the normal range for recent activity in the area.
The movement follows a quiet spell that had lasted since mid-March, when seismic activity in the area appeared to ease.
End of Recent Seismic “Silence”
This latest tremor is the first recorded since a cluster of activity earlier in the month. Between 13th and 16th March, monitoring systems detected 84 seismic events, 59 of which were precisely located. All were low in magnitude, not exceeding 1.8 magnitude.
Since then, the area had remained largely inactive, until now. The new quake has prompted renewed monitoring of what has been the most active seismic zone in Tenerife in recent weeks.
No Immediate Risk of Eruption
Despite the renewed activity, experts stress there is no increased risk of a volcanic eruption in the short or medium term.
The IGN has reiterated that this type of low-level seismicity is part of an ongoing but closely monitored process beneath the island, and current data does not point to any imminent eruptive activity.
Constant Monitoring Across the Island
Tenerife is equipped with an extensive volcanic monitoring network, with more than 100 stations tracking seismic movements, ground deformation, and volcanic gas emissions in real time.
Specialists will now carry out a more detailed analysis of the latest tremor, including checking for any smaller associated quakes that may not have been picked up automatically.
For now, authorities are reassuring residents and visitors that the situation remains stable, with no cause for alarm despite the return of seismic activity beneath Teide.
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