Tourists felt the earthquake. Now they are afraid of the volcano

The small earthquake that recently hit Tenerife has again awakened the vigilance of residents who are afraid of the unexpected activity of the Teide volcano. The highest peak of the Canary Islands and all Atlantic islands last appeared over a hundred years ago. On November 18, 1909, there was a powerful explosion that destroyed the city of Garachico. Since then, Teide has been continuously considered an active volcano.

Suddenly the earth shook

Residents of Tenerife and tourists staying on the island last weekend witnessed disturbing events. According to the National Geographic Institute (IGN), an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.3 on the Richter scale was recorded in Puerto de la Cruz on Sunday. Although such a measurement indicates only moderate seismic tremors, they were felt in as many as fifteen municipalities across the entire surface of the volcanic island. The epicenter was 21 kilometers underground on the northern tip of the island.

“It was a strange feeling, as if a large truck was passing there,” reports one of the Canarians. This is not the first time in the last twelve months that tremors have occurred in this region. Scientists are trying to monitor every activity and understand the island’s volcanic past for fear of its highest peak, Teide.

Teide coming to life?

The recent activity of the Teide volcano (still considered an active volcano) increases concerns about a possible eruption, which in previous centuries occurred on average every ten decades. The last recorded eruptions of the cone occurred in 1706, 1798 and 1909. No wonder the inhabitants of nearby villages and towns look anxiously towards the mysterious crater. Most of the tremors that occur in the Canary Islands occur at great depths in the ocean, and residents usually remain unaware of their frequency.