New finds on La Palma
According to a report recently published by the newspaper El País, two active faults have been located on the island of La Palma that were responsible for the volcanic eruption that occurred in 2021. These faults are the first to be identified in the Canary Islands, which has surprised geology experts.
Geologist Miguel-Ángel Rodríguez-Pascua, from the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME-CSIC), has stated that until now it was believed that there were no active faults in the Canary Islands. However, the discovery of these two faults on La Palma proves the opposite. According to Rodríguez-Pascua, without the presence of these faults, the volcanic eruption would not have occurred.
Failure characteristics
The two faults identified in La Palma have been named Tazacorte and Mazo. According to studies carried out, these faults cross the island from side to side and cause cracks in the building structures.
The Tazacorte fault, which extends approximately 8.5 kilometers from the coast to the volcanic cone and another 20 kilometers towards the opposite slope of the island, was active before, during and after the eruption. On the other hand, the Mazo fault, which has a length of about six kilometers to the crater and another 16 kilometers towards the opposite flank, changed orientation as the eruption progressed.
Although the La Palma faults are slow moving, they have caused cracks in the buildings in their path. However, scientists consider the risk of earthquakes or building collapses to be low due to the gradual nature of the fault movements.
Importance of the discovery
The discovery of these active faults on La Palma is of great importance for the understanding of volcanic activity in the Canary Islands. Until now, it was believed that the islands did not have active faults, so this finding challenges previous theories and opens new lines of research in the field of volcanic geology.
Additionally, the study of these faults can help predict and mitigate the risks associated with volcanic activity in the region. Understanding how faults behave and how they affect structures can be crucial for urban planning and population safety in volcanic areas.
