Tirelessly updating Avalon on the El Hierro eruption.

[randles]

The risk of landslides has forced the closure of several roads in El Hierro

DIARIOELHIERRO.ES, writing (05.11.2011. 14:57 pm)

El Hierro is shielded from the risk of landslides. Increased seismic activity in the island, with three earthquakes greater than magnitude 4 in recent days has forced the leadership of Pevolca to permanently Close Los Roquille tunnel and several roads on the island.

Thus, the road is closed at Las Puntas (HI-55) from the cross roads to the Pozo de Los Padrones, the route of Lomo Negro (SR-500) between its junction Orchilla Lighthouse and El Pozo de la Salud and cut traffic between Sabinosa and Frontera (HI-50), in the direction of Frontera junction at the height of HI-553 (La Tabla) and Sabinosa towards the height of the mountain Tamasin (El Chijo).

It also blocks access to El Pozo Las Calcosas and is ordered evacuation of homes.

[Hervé]

Harmonic tremors seem to mimic the sound of a subsonic underground tchoo-tchoo train... laoding steam... releasing it in resonating pipes... on a semi-regular pattern:

From Wikipedia: A Harmonic tremor is a sustained release of seismic and/or infrasonic energy typically associated with the underground movement of magma and/or venting of volcanic gases from magma. Being a long-duration continuous signal from a temporally extended source, a volcanic tremor contrasts distinctly with transient sources of seismic radiation, such as tremors that are typically associated with earthquake and explosion.

[randles]

http://www.diariodeavisos.com/2011/1...e-con-mi-nieto


Frontera viewpoint, where you can observe the houses evacuated. | FRAN Pallera

I CANNOT TAKE IT ANYMORE.

María Rosa can take no more. Daughter of a fisherman and professional restorer this neighbor of La Restinga wept bitterly on Friday night when she felt the earthquake at 20:36 hours. It was felt in the beautiful southern village of El Hierro as a brutal punch that shook walls and moved spirits. I cannot take it anymore, it is too much. I'm going to Lanzarote, Playa Blanca, to be with my grandson. I'll come back when things calm down. "The reaction is heated, some felt the earthquake as a jolt that reminded them of a blast blast from a nearby borehole. Too close.

In Las Casas

The residents of Las Casas, the historic capital of the municipality of El Pinar, consistent with its neighbors that it was something Bruso, fast and very violent. Ivan, a 42-year-old father of two, was standing when the earth shook him up and down. "I do not want to think of leaving here, but I recognize that it has been different from what has been until now. It took a little reassurance, "He explains that the pineapple industry was born in La Restinga. His wife, Diana, is Colombian and knows what is capable of an earthquake.

"I lived the tragedy of Armenia in my country and I know what it is to walk among the corpses because of an earthquake." The earthquake of Friday, he acknowledged that he did not like. "SHe went pale in the kitchen," said her husband, who reflects on the future: "That whatever I have to go, but I fear for my children. They have their whole lives ahead. "


Millán, fisherman. | F. P.

In El Golfo

A man adjusts to everything. The residents of Frontera, where it was found that this tremor was felt even in La Gomera and Tenerife, are quieter than expected. "It's not that we are getting used to it, but the crust is coming out now. Many days and many earthquakes, "said Millán, also a fisherman but based on Las Puntas. For Millán, who has lived in El Golfo for the last thirty years, "what really scares us is hunger, because you can not fish all over the island

A little further up, in Bergara, Belinda is among those that remain. "I'm not going, but few businesses have already closed and I fear that after last night, more people go,"


Belinda, who works as a waitress in Bergara, Frontera. | F. P.

Both Millán and Belinda heard stones falling on the slopes near the tunnel exit of Los Roquille. Accurately, the stones fell just off the mouth of the tunnel, something beyond, about the zone of ​​Guinea and El Lagartario. Then there is Dácil, one of the evacuees from last night and she attended to us in her house . There, in Casa Hristina, Dácil prepares her bags because she has the experience again.

But if Dácil and her family have the tremendous hassle of having to leave home, Belinda and Millán both are united in their great fear. "It's not like an earthquake scared us like yesterday, is that as re-closing the tunnel is clear that El Golfo is dying." It is clear that in this part of the island volcano and the anguish as as to their social and economic impact.


Dacil, one of the evacuees of Frontera | F. P.

In Echedo

"She moved around in the chair where she sat, as though someone was shaking her up and down," Rosario said in his workplace of the Rincón del Dulce in Valverde. She lived through the earthquake on Friday night at her home in Echedo, a sturdy wine village, which is near El Mocanal, where landslides were as well, falling just across the mouth of the tunnel.

"We picked up a stone of several kilos," says Marcelino, who work in Road Maintenance acudir4 forced immediately to the places where rocks fell. "The push to the wayside. The truth is that in this island landslides are common. "Marcelino has total willingness, and when he returned home, was back to work again due to the the shaking again after midnight.

In La Caleta

"It was something else, something different," explains Cochamari, a resident of this charming coastal settlement near the airport. "The truth is that it moved the house, the couch ... now I remember jokes, but the truth is that wanted to feel it, but now I can not feel like that any more. I want it to end soon "

One after another, the conversation is repeated among the islanders, always quiet and some humor, but as of 20:36 pm on Friday, there is a little more respect for what is happening. Not before it will take a joke, is that we have found, at any point of the island, is facing a massive and uncontrollable force.

[Hervé]

From Earthquake-report.com:

Update 05/11 – 16:35 UTC :
IGN announced that they expect a new vent to open or already opened in the El Golfo bay, but at a far bigger depth than at the La Restinga coast. The main eruptive vent is still located to the south in the Las Calmas sea. (ER : let’s hope that the poor images of the NASA satellites will help us out in detecting an eventual coloring of the water).

IGN also said that last night 4.4 magnitude earthquake was perceived much stronger by the population because of the close distance to the beach. The earlier big quake was weakened by the water masses.

Update 05/11 – 16:51 UTC :
Presidencia del Gobierno de Canarias has published 2 new images taken with the helicopter who was seen by Joke this morning. They are still showing a strong emitting vent in the Las Calmas sea. If the eruption in this vent is magmatic, than the depth must have been seriously decreased since the eruption began. It is hard however to know this, as the authorities are NOT disclosing the geographic positions of the vents.

Eruptive Jacuzzi location on November 5 2011 - image courtesy Presidencia del Gobierno de Canarias


Eruptive Jacuzzi location on November 5 2011 - image courtesy Presidencia del Gobierno de Canarias


Update 05/11 – 18:10 UTC :
We just got a call from an excited Joke Volta that a new powerful Jacuzzi (vent) can be seen from the La Restinga El Pinar road. She is currently [t]aking pictures [of] it. We have to be cautious with news reports as we our blind ourselves (installing a webcam with a view on the coast looks to be impossible to realize), but the least that we can say, is that a lot is going on below the La Restinga coast.


VERY IMPORTANT Update 05/11 – 18:36 UTC :
We do not like to call it “Breaking news” in the title, but we just received a confirmation from Raymond Matabosch that he sees at this moment at least 5 Jacuzzi’s getting stronger.

Some jacuzzi’s are taking the effect of low geyser activity.
Raymond can see this at this moment from his location somewhere on the coast.

Original text Raymond :

mais il y a plusieurs jacuzzi (j’en ai compté 5) en face de Puerto Naos et La Restinga et de plus en plus puissants… certains forment même des geysers que je vois depuis la Montagne El Julan…

Update 05/11 – 18:10 UTC :

IMMEDIATE EVACUATION CALLED AT LA RESTINGA
(‘source : Diario El Hierro)
due to the stronger coastal activity and toxic gases

[randles]

Vehicles of the Emergency Military Unit (UME) remain in the barracks at Anatolian Fuentes in the town of Caleta. | EFE

Military Emergency Unit (UME) is ready for any contingency

EFE | Valverde

Emergency Military Unit (UME) is prepared for any contingency that may arise in the Island of El Hierro, where 34 troops have moved ready for any circumstance, said, Efe Santiago Diaz, yesterday, who is the press officer of that unit.

Santiago Diaz, lieutenant, said that the contingent of EMU is in El Hierro to perform all the necessary logistics for the organization of means that are necessary to successfully tackle any type of contingency.

The military barracks Anatolian Fuentes in the village of La Caleta, near the airport of Los Cangrejos, in the municipality of Valverde, is these days the logistics center of the Emergency Military Unit.

In this quarter are deployed tents that house the equipment necessary to install a camp that could accommodate 2,500 people in the event of an evacuation, said Santiago Diaz, who commented that in the coming days will come more material, except that the potential evacuees could also be transferred to some sports facilities to the student residence in Valverde.

Santiago Diaz said the material is moved to the island after the request by the Pevolca as a measure of precaution, and explained that at no time this should be cause for alarm for the population.

In this sense, the lieutenant of the Emergency Military Unit (UME) reported that in the case of EMU might be necessary to move in just six hours some 3,000 of the unit, which would be one hundred percent operating with resources that are already on the island.

In the same vein, president of the Cabildo de El Hierro, has ruled out an imminent evacuation of the area of La Restinga and other towns on the island.

[Hervé]

SPECIAL SEISMIC CRISIS - 11/05/2011 (18:54 pm)

URGENT .- Announced: the evacuation of La Restinga. DAILY EL HIERRO is in this fishing village. Spread this information widely.

--------------------------------------
COMMENTS RECEIVED

They say it is a small islet off La Restinga 11.05.2011 18:59:39 Alias​​: Volcan without destination

[Hervé]

ESPECIAL CRISIS SÍSMICA - 5/11/2011 (19:27 horas)


La Restinga, evacuated for second time


Given the evolution of seismic activity affecting the island of El Hierro, and as a preventive measure, the evacuation of the inhabitants of La Restinga is under way for the second time after this afternoon eruptive activity were increased in the area .

[Hervé]

Ramon Margalef marks the spot:

[Hervé]

The islet refenced in a comment, post # 1346:

One of Polly's head peeking out?
Might still be a geiser? But not for long.

[Hervé]

New jacuzzi activity from this evening (there):

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=bg4JDgLq7GE

Video made by Joke Volta (see post #1344)

[randles]

Image taken this afternoon during the evacuation. Gelmert Finol / www.diarioelhierro.es.

The nightmare is repeated

Sergio Gutierrez, La Restinga (11.05.2011. 20:53 pm)

Only 10 minutes had elapsed since Fernando Gutierrez, the Patron of the Fishermen's Association Our Lady of Los Reyes, claimed in the square that "our people are dying" so that, as if it were a bad omen, was announced second evacuation of La Restinga, an evacuation that occurs following an increase in eruptive activity in the area.

DIARIO EL HIERRO witnessed the emergence of a large column of steam, magmatic material, just off the Avenue of this fishing village. The column pressure reached about 10 meters above the sea surface to then descend. People who were in the area could not believe what they were experiencing at that moment. It seemed that the volcano finally emerged to the surface.

He quickly ordered the evacuation of the town, only this time the neighbors knew what they had to do and, although a patent nervousness, went to a meeting orderly, established in the football field. The nightmare was repeated once more.

But this time seems different. The source close to ground eruption, accompanied this time by columns of smoke and ash worry more.

Diario El Hierro has learned that, apparently, the eruption process is shallow and, in its third phase, ie the appearance of columns of water and volcanic ash, known as rooster tails, an indication that the eruption could be closer to the surface. This process could continue towards the formation of a volcano which would already be visible on the surface, but could also be reduced or stopped. However, not until the delivery of scientists.

[Hervé]

Remember... remember... the 5th of November... Powder keg Polly's many faces:

[Hervé]

From Earthquake-report.com:


Update 05/11 – 21:41 UTC :
Some people, new to our reporting, are asking themselves what we mean by Jacuzzi or Burbuja.

Both terms were given by the local people. They found that the moving surface water resembled a jacuzzi. Since the people gave that word to the phenomena, we also used it in our articles.

We could have called water interacting with magma and gases, but we like Jacuzzi better.

Many pictures are showing this kind of activity from October 15 on, although we think that the activity might have started a couple of days earlier.

On behalf of the people behind Earthquake-Report.com and our many readers we owe a big Thank You to Joke Volta and Raymond Matabosch, initial readers of these pages who gradually turned into Volunteer reporters.

The El Hierro volcano activity is not over yet, but we could not wait to send these words of appreciation after what happened today.

Update 05/11 – 21:54 UTC :


Joke Volta working on her klaptop in the press room @ El Pinar - she has wifi there


What next ?
We expect the next phase to begin soon (a couple of hours) or later (days or even weeks) (a volcano does not show his cards). The present very strong harmonic tremor accompanied by powerful bursts which occur every 30 to 40 minutes, may sustain the process for some time to come.

If the current vents remain open, and if the bursts continue, the gases mixed with ash and steam will have to overcome the water column pressure. They almost did late this afternoon, and will probably continue trying to do so [for] the next couple of hours. In the dark, and unless it is full moon, nobody will notice it (it is not a football stadium).

Once the pressure from below is strong enough to break the water resistance, fountains of steam mixed with ash will blow into the air. At first during the bursts (compare it with geysers) followed by more continuous fountains.
If all this happens a few km out in the sea, the island will at max. get some ash showers.

These kind of shallow depth eruptions coming above the surface are called Surtseyan eruptions (named after the Icelandic Island formed the same way) or Capelinho’s eruptions (named after a similar eruption in 1957 at Faial, Azores).
At the lower part of this page one will find the explanation of the Capelinho eruption. The article written by Raymond Matabosh explains what will happen next in a very good way.

Please keep in mind that this is an attempt to predict what will happen, not a certainty.

Important Update 05/11 – 23:40 UTC :
Raymond Matabosch reports from his location at El Hierro that, according to him, the Surtseyan Eruption phase has started. Burst of ash and water are ejected out of the sea every 30 to 40 minutes.
Image courtesy Jose Bordon Tejera, a resident of El Pinar

[Hervé]

Strongest so far (3.9 at 18:25):

For the day:

Frequencies spectrogram, the vertical streaks indicate “events” (tremors/EQs) whereas the horizontal ones reflect volcanic/magmatic activity:

From Wikipedia: A Harmonic tremor is a sustained release of seismic and/or infrasonic energy typically associated with the underground movement of magma and/or venting of volcanic gases from magma. Being a long-duration continuous signal from a temporally extended source, a volcanic tremor contrasts distinctly with transient sources of seismic radiation, such as tremors that are typically associated with earthquake and explosion.

How it's looking like now from Las Puntas de La Frontera:

Refresh your browser to get the latest traces

For the last 10 days, following the count of EQs as shown by the orange bars (≥ 2.0), it now shows a definite increase in seismic activity:

New cumulative graph starting October 10, 2011. The continuously changing scales keeps compressing the earlier graphs to the bottom and to the left!

Location of the EQs for the last 10 days:

Refresh your browser page to get the latest numbers and positions.

[sygh]

Posted by Amzer Zo (here)
From Earthquake-report.com:

Very Important Update 04/11 – 13:37 UTC :
Joke Volta reports from La Restinga :

– we just went from El Pinar to La Restinga

– a very sulfurous ‘rotten egg’ odor was noticed on parts of the road

– the viewpoint towards the Las Calmas sea is showing multiple Jacuzzi spots close to the island

– Joke took some pictures, but she is not sure whether it can be see on the pictures (she works with a cheap camera)

– she is now heading back to El Pinar and will send the images shortly

- she also told us that she believes the jacuzzi to be closer to La Restinga than last week.


Update 04/11 – 13:55 UTC :
Scientists of IGN who could overfly the area this morning are now convinced that they have lined up the different eruptive submarine vents. It looks more and more that Las Calmas sea eruptions are fissure like vents opening up at different places.

***************
Here are some of the pictures from the flyby released by the government:

In short, Polly is truly Polycephalic!

Polycephalic (hee-hee) These pictures are phenominal. This really is the best case scenerio, right through the fissures. Really interesting.

[Hervé]

Posted by sygh (here)

Posted by Amzer Zo (here)
[...]

In short, Polly is truly Polycephalic!

Polycephalic (hee-hee) These pictures are phenominal. This really is the best case scenerio, right through the fissures. Really interesting.

Hi sygh!

I think you may have missed post #1335 where the land equivalent of fissure eruptions are shown next to Polly's?

In any case, best case scenario indeed!

[randles]

More than 300 residents of El Hierro sleep away from home by the eruption of the volcano

RTVE.es 06.11.2011 - 08:03 h

About 250 residents of the village of La Restinga and 51 in two districts in the Border Canary island of El Hierro have spent the night outside their homes after being evacuated Saturday by the underground volcano whose magma stain is visible from space .

This Saturday they were again ordered to evacuate these areas as a preventive measure for proximity to an eruption and risk of landslides, according to TVE. In the vicinity of the volcano were observed ash plumes.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=yXrYXvKdKo4

Second evacuation in a month

The first evacuation of the Restiga occurred on October 12 when the eruption occurred underwater. The neighbors returned home after nine days.

Seven days ago seismic activity was reactivated in El Hierro and began the week in which there have been more intense tremors. While the largest, magnitude 4.4 on the Richter scale, occurred in the area of ​​the town of Frontera, in the north of the island. On Wednesday, another of 4.3 shook the northern municipality.

Due to the increase in the magnitude of earthquakes Pevolca agreed the closure of the tunnels Roquille that connects the municipalities of Valverde and Frontera, as well as various sections of several roads in the second, El Lagartario and the Ecomuseum.

Prepared to evacuate

Given a hypothetical evacuation, the Emergency Military Unit and Red Cross have set up two camps for 4,500 people as the volcano is still active. The emission of CO2 has reached its highest value to date: 1044 tons.

Already more than 100 species affected and it appears that there is no marine life within a radius of 2.5 km in the Restinga. As reported by TVE, many neighbors decided to voluntarily leave their homes.

Both in Los Polvillos, and Los Guzmines and Las Puntas, evacuation of these houses is that they are at the foot of steep rocky slopes, exposed to landslides that potentially can cause earthquakes

[randles]

Tinerfe FUMERO | FRONTERA

The clear evidence emerged that the submarine volcano in the Sea of ​​The Calms has entered a second stage, much more dangerous because of risk of uncontrolled explosions and release of toxic gases into the atmosphere, situated yesterday at El Hierro in the worst scenario has occurred since the beginning of the volcanic crisis, back in July. The new evacuation of La Restinga, which occurred in late last night just when neighbors gathered to demand assistance, and closing the tunnels Roquille, ordered in the morning before the landslides occurred in several parts of the island, form a black landscape for the foreseeable future of many of its neighbors.

As a soap bubble

It was 18:40 pm and the Place de la Restinga was a hive of neighbors seeking to require coordinated support to their precarious situation. Just when the director asked for the floor of the Cabildo Javier Morales, interrupted the mayor of El Pinar, Juan Miguel Padrón, to announce to those present that the Canary Islands government had ordered the second evacuation of the town. Padrón explained, with the urgency of the moment itself, which had received a call from the Director General of Security of the regional government, Juan Manuel Santana, warning of risk of indiscriminate submarine volcano pyroclastic material expelled into the atmosphere and toxic gases.

The warning given was the expected response by scientists to the start of the so-called second stage of the eruptive process, and the clearest sign of it was the appearance in the calm of a dark bubble, the bubble was growing on the surface and then burst, leaving a dark curtain in the air. The phenomenon, described by several neighbors who admired stain in the place, which allegedly was accompanied by a column of water, this white in color and with a height of five meters, took place minutes after six p.m. . Keep in mind that scientists predicted plumes.

Government sources last night pointed out that the appearance of these columns is prior to the risk of explosions, which come with the interaction of magma with water, although they acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding the process by their nature or that simply the possibility that arising ashes reach the coast to evacuate La Restinga.
In any case, both the government helicopter as the ship GES Ramon Margalef were present in the area at the time of the events. Significantly, the ship leaving the scene shortly after the bubble in question emerged, though certainly coincided with the evening.

It is closer

Another point to note is that according to the president of the Brotherhood of fishermen from La Restinga, Fernando Gutierrez, the mouth now is more active among them are expelled material reaching the surface is in a much less deeper and closer to the coast.
According to estimates by Gutiérrez, who have not yet been endorsed by scientists, the ejection of material would occur at a depth of 150 to 200 meters, and just over a mile of La Restinga.

If confirmed such circumstances, the chances of the volcano came to see the light would rise considerably. This would result in the safety of the neighbors because, as the expulsion of material out of water occurs, it is expected that the eruption would continue under the classical model of the Canary Islands on the ground. That is, as an overflowing cauldron boiling milk, instead of another type of volcanism characterized by violent explosions.

Change of plans

Although the Steering Committee for Protection Plan volcanic risk (Pevolca) announced in its press conference at noon yesterday that another meeting would be held Monday morning, the evolution of the process bodes cited again today scientists moved to the island with the relevant authorities.

[randles]

11/06/2011 ... 11:53 - Ministry of Economy, Finance and Security

The direction of PEVOLCA allows controlled access to La Restinga and houses evacuated.

Evacuees may return to their homes for a maximum of one hour

The direction of the Civil Protection Plan for Volcanic Risk (PEVOLCA) has cleared this morning, controlled access to the village of La Restinga and homes evacuated in the town of Frontera.

Evacuees may return to their homes for a maximum of one hour, after passing the controls.

In the case of La Restinga, access is permitted from 08:00 to 18:00 and control over it will be located on the road to El Pinar-La Restinga HI-4, at the junction of Tacorón. Also, people who are evacuated overnight in the Residencia de Estudiantes of Valverde and want to go to their homes will be transferred in one of the buses of the Emergency Military Unit to the town, may also remain in their houses a maximum of one hour ..

Evacuees from Frontera, access to their homes is permitted from 10:00 to 11:00, after calling the Emergency Coordination Centre Island and Security (CECOI) to the phone 922 555 112 . Access will be controlled by the local police of the municipality.

Evolution

Following the completion of a reconnaissance flight that took place in the early hours of today and the analysis of the various data provided during the night and morning, one can say that there has been a decrease in activity so that the eruptive process is in a normal situation. The focus of eruption continues at the same distance from Punta Restinga, a mile, and not evident at this time is the phenomenon water plumes observed yesterday. The stain has acquired a brown tone and maintains a certain level of bubbling.


..............
It insists on the recommendations

The Canary Islands government insists that people follow the recommendations set out in case of earthquake.

Protective action in case of earthquake
If you are inside a building is important
* Do not leave the building until the end of the movement.
* Seek shelter under strong structures.
* Stay away from windows, windows, cabinets, walls and objects that can fall and get hit.
* Do not be in the kitchen.
* Do not use the elevator.
* If the movement is strong, once completed, turn off electricity, water and gas.
In a public building (supermarket, cinema, library, etc)
* Do not run terrified towards the exit.
* Stay away from windows or glass doors.
* Take cover under heavy structures.
* In areas with shelves (libraries, archives, supermarkets, etc..) Exit corridors where the shelves and bend your knees, next to the sides of the shelves.
* At school, have children and students kneel beneath his desk, putting a book on the head
* Keep calm and make it safe for others. Try to control any panic.
* Go to an open area, once away from damaged buildings.
* If there are damaged buildings, do not enter or go between them
* If you are driving slowly drive the vehicle to a stop, do not block the road. Turn on the radio for the state authorities and special recommendations on possible roadblocks.
* The authorities shall indicate the protective measures to be taken through the Media, Information Centers and the Centers for Affiliation and Registration.

Try to answer calls for help and collaborate with the intervening authority, but do not go to the affected areas without request to the authorities. It is important not poke around the affected areas, this is dangerous as well hamper the work of rehabilitation.

Councils of Government

[randles]

The volcano monitoring network monitoring National Geographic Institute (IGN), has recorded on the island of El Hierro during the night a total of 22 earthquakes of between 1.5 and 3.4 magnitude on Richter scale .

The largest of the earthquakes, recorded at 09.50 hours and felt by the population, it had a magnitude of 3.4 degrees on the Richter scale and occurred northwest of the town of Frontera. This event was located at sea 17 kilometers deep.

The rest of the recorded earthquakes were located mainly northwest of Frontera, between 17 and 27 kilometers deep. The last of these, 2.6 magnitude, occurred at 10.33 hours about 20 km depth and epicenter in the sea.