The intensity of the eruption increased. Since the last update, the at least 4 active vents have been generating violent pulses of lava fountains with ash columns rising to approx. 3 km, as well feeding both surface lava flows directly from the vents as well as fueling the hidden-from-view lava tubes that transport most of the lava to active areas of the flow field downslope.
Volcanic tremor has increased significantly during the latest hours, likely heralding that a strong pulse of magma is reaching the vents. The southeastern vent that had been reactivated or opened a week ago, and so far only showed explosive activity, now also started to erupt more lava, in form of pulsating lava fountains. This vent now feeds a new lava flow travels towards the southern slopes and has already reached the San Nicolas district in Las Manchas.
An impression of the activity at the volcano yesterday is seen in the following video:
Nuevas imágenes captadas por el @IGME1849 @ICMAN_CSIC @ULL Se observan las 4 bocas del #volcándeLaPalma que continúan con su actividad intensa y diversa: emisión de ceniza y piroclastos, actividad estromboliana y profusión de lava con desgasificación blanca pic.twitter.com/rbMUrGRKVy
— RTVC (@RTVCes) October 23, 2021
According to the latest data, 891,9 hectares of land have been covered by lava and 2,270 buildings destroyed or damaged.
Earthquakes continue to increase if not in size but in numbers, remaining in the same area mostly around 12 km depth beneath the center of the volcano Cumbre Vieja. During the past 24 hours, the island had shaken by 77 quakes of magnitude 3.0-3.9 and 121 quakes between 2.0 and 3.0.
