“Lanzarote’s population must know what to do in the event of an eruption”

A series of talks during the 50^th anniversary celebrations at Timanfaya National Park sees researchers state that the island must be prepared, and know what to do, in the event of an eruption in the future.

In January 1731 the volcano of Mazo rose to a height of 200 metres in a single day before its cone collapsed in on itself, causing a violent explosion that sent “bombs” of lava up to 500 metres and covering Lanzarote with black ash.

This terrifying event was described by Nieves Sánchez at the Timanfaya Visitors Centre during a series of talks by volcano experts to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Timanfaya National Park.

Their message was clear:  the island must learn from its volcanic history; it should encourage scientific research and that the population should know what to do in the event of an eruption. Although Lanzarote is one of the islands considered at lowest risk of volcanic activity, the Canary Islands remain an active zone, as the 2021 eruption in La Palma showed.  

Research by Dr Sánchez’s team revealed that the Mazo eruption was more violent than had been previously thought, highlighting the unpredictability of the Timanfaya eruptions. “We should re-assess the danger associated with these type of volcanoes,” said Dr. Sánchez.

Dr. Ínes Galindo explained how the eruptions of Timanfaya in the 1730s meant that Lanzarote was well prepared for the further eruptions in 1824. The experience of almost a century earlier meant that the island’s military commander had a clear plan of action, conducted vital tasks such as data collection and encouraged locals to act as scouts, reporting any underground noises or earth movements.

“We must always remember that we live in a volcanic zone and know what to do in the case of an eruption,” she said.

The 50^th anniversary events will continue this month, and further conferences are scheduled for the 16^th of December to mark the 200^th anniversary of the 1824 eruptions.