La Palma volcano update: Eruption continues, but at gradually decreasing intensity

Lava flows this morning at Las Hoyas (image: INVOLCAN)

No significant changes have occurred since the last updates. The eruption continues, but more and more it looks as if it might finally be getting close to an end within a foreseeable future, but it can only be guessed what how long exactly it still might last, maybe few weeks.

At the vents, steaming is prevalent, with occasional small explosions of strombolian type and ash emissions that occasionally produce plumes that rise a few hundred meters. Effusive activity remains more or less stable, however. Lava continues to erupt, mainly directly into lava tubes, and breaks out to form surface flows downslope in the central part of the lava flow field.

As of today, there were two flows seen active, traveling westwards over existing lava flows. No (or at least no significant amounts of) new land was covered by new flows recently and no lava is arriving at the shore, but the westernmost flow continues to fall over the cliff towards the fore-land at La Hoyas:

The latest detailed map of the areas covered by lava flows is from Dec 8, but has not changed much as of today.

Volcanic tremor continues to slowly decrease, suggesting that magma supply is fading. Earthquakes and gas emissions showed a small uptick during the latest 24 hours.
The National Geographic Institute recorded 44 quakes in total during its latest 24-hour reporting interval, the largest being a magnitude 3.7 quake last night at 9.27 p.m. local time, felt by some residents.

Ground deformation is showing a slow trend of deformation, consistent with depletion of magma inside the deeper and shallow reservoirs.

Latest map of the lava flows as of 8 Dec (image: info.igme.es)

Latest map of the lava flows as of 8 Dec (image: info.igme.es)