Un magnitude 4,1 earthquake The Richter scale quake shook the stretch of sea located between this Thursday Tenerife and Gran CanariaThe tremor caused many residents to notice a clear but brief tremor in their homes and workplaces. The event, recorded by the National Seismic Network and the Canary Islands Seismic Network, occurred at midday, when much of the population was active, making it easier to feel in numerous locations.
The earthquake originated in the area known as Enmedio volcano, a prominent underwater volcanic edifice located midway between the two capital islands. There, about 10 kilometers deepThe energy that triggered the main seismic movement was released, followed shortly afterward by a weaker aftershock. Although the tremor caused some concern, scientific bodies insist that it was a common phenomenon in the region and that there is no reason to think of an imminent eruption.
Technical data of the 4,1 magnitude earthquake between Tenerife and Gran Canaria
According to the records of National Geographic Institute (IGN) and from INVOLCAN, the earthquake occurred at 12:26 Canary Islands timeThe sensors located the hypocenter about 10 kilometers below the seabed, in the vicinity of the Enmedio volcano, a strip where the greatest seismic activity of the archipelago has been concentrated for decades.
The magnitude was set at 4,1 mbLga value sufficient to be clearly felt but well below the threshold at which structural damage typically occurs. macroseismic intensity The estimated value was between III and IV On the European EMS scale, this means that the tremor was felt inside buildings by quite a few people, with slight swaying of furniture and swinging of hanging objects, but without damaging effects on buildings.
About ten minutes after the main event, the instruments detected a second seismic movement in a very nearby area, this time of magnitude 2 only 4 kilometers deepThis minor earthquake is interpreted as a normal replica associated with the redistribution of stress after the initial earthquake, a behavior considered common in events of magnitude close to 4.
Experts emphasize that, although the figure of 4,1 may impress the media, it is actually a moderate earthquakeThis is typical of the sequences that are recorded more or less continuously in this part of the Atlantic. The level of energy released is consistent with the ordinary seismicity of the oceanic crust in this area of the Canary Islands.
Where the tremor was felt: affected municipalities in Tenerife and Gran Canaria
Citizen reports and macroseismic surveys collected by the IGN confirm that the The earthquake was felt in numerous municipalities of both islands. In Tenerife, the tremors were felt in towns in the south, east and north, as well as in the metropolitan area.
On the island of Tenerife, the event was reported from Arico, Granadilla, Arona and San Miguel on the southern slope; from Güímar, Arafo and Candelaria in the eastern zone; and from northern municipalities such as Los Realejos, La Orotava, La Matanza, Santa Úrsula, Tacoronte or the area of Puerto de la Cruz. Also in La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, El Rosario, La Esperanza and neighborhoods of the capital reported a light but clear tremor.
En Gran CanariaThe earthquake was felt mainly in the northwest, the midlands, and part of the metropolitan area. Reports have been received from Gáldar, Agaete and La Aldea de San Nicolás as well as Vega de San Mateo, Valsequillo, Moya, Teror and different areas of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – City Life, History & Island VibesIn general, neighbors describe a short movement, accompanied in some cases by rattling glass or slight creaking sounds.
Despite the wide area where the tremor was felt, emergency services indicate that No material or personal damage has been reportedThe 112 emergency services and security agencies received multiple calls from citizens wanting to confirm what had happened, but all of them were related to inquiries and not to serious incidents.
The maximum intensity observed, located between levels III and IV, coincides with those testimonies: People at rest who notice how the bed or chair vibratesSmall "swaying" in light furniture, swaying of lamps and clattering of dishes, always without structural consequences.
Enmedio volcano area: the most seismic area in the Canary Islands
The region where this earthquake originated is not new to seismologists and volcanologists. The so-called Enmedio volcano It is a large underwater volcanic edifice located between Tenerife and Gran Canaria that, since modern instrumentation has been available, has concentrated the most of the earthquakes of appreciable magnitude in the archipelagoFurthermore, it is one of the various types of volcanoes associated with inter-island channels and submarine reliefs.
IGN records indicate that in this area, between [number] are recorded each year. 400 and 500 earthquakes, most of them, low-magnitude microseisms and not felt by the population. Of that group, only among Between 5 and 7 annual events exceed magnitude 2,5, and only on rare occasions are values above 4 reached.
In this same area, one of the major earthquakes documented in the Canary Islands in recent decades: the earthquake of May 9th 1989which reached a magnitude of 5,2 and was widely felt in both Tenerife and Gran Canaria. More recently, the Enmedio volcano was the source of the earthquake of magnitude 4,2 of 2019, considered so far the most intense in recent years in the island environment.
In addition to the 2019 incident, others have been recorded in the area other significant events, such as a magnitude 3,2 earthquake at a depth of about 25 kilometers and several earthquakes of around magnitude 3,7 between 2022 and 2023. In 2024, a magnitude 3,6 earthquake was also detected in that same seismic corridor, which reinforces the idea that it is a very active and recurring area within the geological context of the Canary Islands.
Despite the presence of this massive underwater volcano, scientific studies indicate that It is not clear that seismicity is directly linked to eruptive processesSince the late 1980s, oceanographic campaigns and geophysical work have been carried out which, in some cases, have ruled out a purely volcanic origin for these earthquakes, pointing to other tectonic mechanisms or crustal readjustments.
Why is there so much shaking between Tenerife and Gran Canaria?
El exact origin of earthquakes The area around the Enmedio volcano continues to be a subject of study and debate among specialists. Over the last few years, several hypotheses have been proposed to explain why this stretch of sea experiences so much movement.
One of the classic ideas pointed to the possible existence of a large fault line that would separate both islands and that it would act as the origin of the earthquakes. However, different geophysical and bathymetric analyses have not found conclusive evidence of a structure of this type with the necessary size, so today this explanation has little support in the scientific community.
Another, more widely accepted theory suggests that earthquakes are linked to a hydrostatic adjustment and load changes between the volcanic buildings of Tenerife and Gran CanariaIn simple terms, the weight and distribution of the rock and volcanic masses of both islands could generate a relative approach motion among them, releasing energy in the form of small and medium earthquakes in the intermediate zone.
A third hypothesis suggests that, beneath the Enmedio volcano, there could be a A hotspot or conduit where magma encounters thinner oceanic crustThis would facilitate the ascent of molten material. This would explain the presence of numerous secondary volcanic cones around the main volcanic edifice and the very pronounced relief of the seabed in this area of the inter-island channel.
Even so, the available data show that, in the last twenty years, this region has only produced three really big earthquakes and that intense swarms are infrequent. Therefore, experts agree that further observations and models are needed to fully understand the seismic behavior of this part of the Atlantic, although they emphasize that, currently, The observed activity fits within its usual pattern.
Relationship with Mount Teide and recent seismic swarms
The 4,1 magnitude earthquake comes in a context where Tenerife has been in the news spotlight due to the seismic swarms recorded under Las Cañadas del Teide in recent weeks. The latest of these episodes alone, concentrated around the island's central volcanic complex, reached approximately 6.000 small earthquakes in about 32 hours, most of them of very low magnitude and imperceptible to the population.
Given this temporal coincidence, many citizens have wondered if there is any direct link between the tremors under Mount Teide and the earthquake between Tenerife and Gran CanariaBoth the IGN and the Canary Islands Volcanological Institute (INVOLCAN) have been clear on this point: no known relationship between both sequences.
According to technical reports, the swarms under Mount Teide correspond to hybrid events of very low amplitude These are associated with the movement of hydrothermal fluids within the island's volcanic system, at depths of between 8 and 10 kilometers west of Las Cañadas. It is, therefore, an internal process of the Tenerife volcanic edifice with its own dynamics.
The 4,1 magnitude earthquake, on the other hand, is located in the oceanic crust, in a distinct tectonic environment and with different seismic mechanisms. Experts point out that a basaltic eruption, like the one that could occur in the Canary Islands, would be preceded by stronger and more frequent earthquakes, clearly felt by the population, and a much more marked deformation of the terrain than is currently observed.
Responsible parties such as Itahiza DomínguezThe IGN (National Geographic Institute) has insisted that, although monitoring remains active and coordinated with local institutions, the probability of an eruption in Tenerife in the short or medium term remains high. bajaThe energy released by the recent swarms is very small, to the point that, added together, they would barely amount to a single earthquake of magnitude 2 or 3.
What the experts say: calm, monitoring, and seismic normality
Those responsible for volcanic monitoring in the Canary Islands have tried to send a message of prudence without alarmismThe volcanologist Luca D'AuriaINVOLCAN, has noted that it is “quite common” for an earthquake of magnitude around 4 to be accompanied by some reply, such as the one recorded minutes after this main event.
D'Auria emphasizes that There are no elements that suggest a high-risk scenarioThe magnitude, depth, and location of the earthquake match the earthquakes that "occur every week" in this same area, although most go unnoticed because they are smaller or occur at times when fewer people are paying attention.
Other specialists from the IGN, such as the volcanologist Rubén LópezThey emphasize that the 4,1 magnitude earthquake "falls within the ordinary seismic activity" of the Enmedio volcano and recall that an even larger event was recorded at this same location in 2019. magnitude 4,2without serious consequences. They also emphasize that Historically, the largest earthquakes in the archipelago have been concentrated precisely in this marine strip..
The institutions emphasize the importance of having dense and modern surveillance networksThese systems allow for the precise location and depth of earthquakes, rapid communication with the population, and the issuance of recommendations if necessary. At present, information from official agencies agrees that this episode It does not modify the current alert levels and that daily life can continue as normal.
This earthquake 4,1 between Tenerife and Gran Canaria This adds to the long list of tremors that, constantly but intermittently, accompany the geological history of the Canary Islands. Although the tremor startled many residents and revived memories of other recent seismic and volcanic events, the data collected points to a Moderate event, typical of the Enmedio volcano area, with no damage and no direct relation to the swarms under Teide, and that reinforces the importance of continuing to observe, calmly and rigorously, a territory as dynamic as the archipelago.
