Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
UK tsunami fear
We ‘could be hit by 23ft waves’ as 100 tremors rock Canaries volcano
A GIANT volcano in the Canary Islands is feared to be on the verge of erupting, potentially triggering a tsunami that could strike the UK.
Britain could be swamped by waves up to 23ft within three hours of the blast.
A “seismic swarm” of about 100 miniquakes has been recorded underground in just 72 hours on the holiday island of La Palma. It could be an early indication that the active volcano Cumbre Vieja is about to blow and cause devastation.
Some experts fear a large eruption will lead to a huge landslide into the Atlantic, causing a tsunami that could also hit the Americas, Europe and Africa.
Maria Jose Blanco, of the Canary Islands’ National Geographic Institute, said: “A seismic swarm like this has never been recorded on La Palma.” The nearby islands of Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote are watching developments and emergency services have held meetings to plan a response.
Dozens of tremors were recorded on La Palma between Saturday and Tuesday, all with a magnitude of between 1.5 and 2.7. The tremors could not be felt as they were so deep underground. Cumbre Vieja’s last two eruptions were in 1949 and 1971. The first
Waves 16ft-23ft Source of landslide tsunami Over 300ft high waves
caused a two-mile crack called La Grieta, which is 13ft deep in places. La Palma, the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands, is popular with sunseekers and is home to 86,000 people.
Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano, used as a location in James Bond film You Only Live Twice, erupted for the first time in six years yesterday, leading officials on the island of Kyushu to restrict access.