El Hierro, nicknamed Isla del Meridiano (the "Meridian Island"), is the smallest and farthest south and west of the Canary Islands (an Autonomous Community of Spain), in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, with a population of 10,162 (2003). In 2000, El Hierro was designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve, with 60% of its territory protected to preserve its natural and cultural diversity. Like the rest of the Canary Islands chain, El Hierro is sharply mountainous and volcanic, only one eruption has ever been recorded on the island from the Volcan de Lomo Negro vent in 1793. The eruption lasted a month.
Cumbre Vieja (Spanish: Old Summit) is an active volcanic ridge on the volcanic ocean island of Isla de La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain. This ridge trends in an approximate north-south direction and covers the southern third of the island. It is lined by several volcanic craters. La Palma is a volcanic ocean island. It is currently the most volcanically active of the Canary Isles. Historical eruptions on the Cumbre Vieja occurred in 1470, 1585, 1646, 1677, 1712, 1949 and 1971. An earthquake and landslide in Crillon Inlet at the head of Lituya Bay, Alaska, on 9 July 1958 generated a 'mega-tsunami' with an initial amplitude (height) of ~525 metres (1,722 ft), which stripped trees and soil from the opposite headland and inundated the entire bay, destroying three fishing boats anchored there and killing two people. Once the wave reached the open sea, however, it rapidly dissipated.
In a BBC Horizon program broadcast 12 October 2000, two geologists hypothesized that during a future eruption, the western flank of Cumbre Vieja, could slide into the Atlantic Ocean potentially generating a giant wave which they termed a "megatsunami". The wave would radiate out across the Atlantic and inundate the eastern seaboard of North America including the American, the Caribbean and northern coasts of South America some six to eight hours later.
Earthquakes, Inflation Suggest New Magma Intruding Under El Hierro Wired - March 26, 2013
Over the last few weeks, many people have been noticing a sharp increase in earthquakes under El Hierro in the Canary Islands. If you recall, in 2010-12, the volcanic island was the home of an offshore submarine eruption that produced some stunning drifts of volcanic tephra and floating 'coconuts' of inflated sediment coated in lava. That eruption (in the broadest sense) lasted until March 2012 and since then, beyond some minor earthquake swarms that didn't lead to any new eruptive activity, life has gone back to normal on El Hierro.
Spewing underwater volcano shakes ground, forces Spain to close island port MSNBC - November 6, 2011
Activity by an underwater volcano has led Spanish authorities to shutdown access to a port on El Hierro island, officials said on Saturday. Ships have been ordered away from waters around La Restinga and aircraft have been banned from flying over the island's southern tip.The port's 600 residents were evacuated Tuesday after volcanic activity began. he regional government of the Canary Islands says scientists have detected airborne volcanic fragments called pyroclasts rising from the sea off La Restinga.
Pictures: Undersea Volcano Erupts, Stains Seas National Geographic - October 21, 2011
Whitecaps churn in the Atlantic off West Africa as an underwater volcano erupts off Spain's Canary Islands on Monday. Since last week, the volcano has been spewing gas and fragments of smoking lava, staining the ocean surface green and brown, as seen above. Spanish authorities have closed a port on Hierro island, ordered ships away from the island's village of La Restinga, and banned aircraft from flying over the island's southern tip, according to the AFP news service.
Europe's future lies under Africa, scientists suggest BBC - April 11, 2011
Europe may be starting to burrow its way under Africa, geologists suggest. The continents are converging; and for many millions of years, the northern edge of the African tectonic plate has descended under Europe. But this process has stalled; and at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) meeting last week, scientists said we may be seeing Europe taking a turn. If they are correct, this would signal the start of a new subduction zone - a rare event, scientifically fascinating. Beneath the Mediterranean Sea, the cold, dense rock at the extreme north of the African plate has virtually all sunk under the Eurasian plate on which Europe sits. But the African landmass is too light to follow suit and descend.
Volcanoes Seen From Space Wired - September 29, 2011
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