07 September 2023 , 20:38
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A warning has been issued to holidaymakers after several earthquakes struck the Canary Islands this week with at least ten in the past 24 hours.
The risk to locals is now being evaluated after three tremors, each with a magnitude of at least three, struck the islands - which are situated off the coast of Africa. Areas reportedly affected included populated regions, according to Spain's Institute of National Geography.
Around 4am on Monday, a 3.1 magnitude earthquake rumbled in a patch of ocean west of the islands, with another striking the sea between Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Throughout the same day, another four were recorded in the cluster of islands - which are situated above the African, Eurasian and American tectonic plates, which experience regular seismic activity.
Experts say that tremors between 2.5 and 5.4 are often felt by people living above their epicentre, but that they only cause minor structural damage.
The most recent tectonic disaster on the Canaries was a volcanic eruption in southern La Palma in 2021, which caused up to £72.4million-worth of damage. After the volcano blew, the lava flowing down the mountainside sparked a mass evacuation of 7,000 people. The Tajogaite eruption lead to the destruction of more than 3,000 buildings.
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At the end of August, holidaymakers in Tenerife are arriving at hotels to find ash floating in their swimming pools as the island's worst wildfire in over four decades raged. Thousands of people from Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands were evacuated as the fire rages for a fifth day.
British school teachers, Holly and Dale travelled from St Albans for their long-awaited summer holiday and told Sky News it had been overshadowed by the wildfires. Dale said: "Waking up this morning was probably the worst day. Seeing all the ash in the swimming pool, the staff boarding everything up, the beds being taken up, it's the end of the holiday really."
Police launched a probe as the mountain fires had been confirmed by government leaders as "provoked". They say the police have already launched an investigation and are following three separate lines. Further details have not yet been revealed but if it proves to be the work of an arsonist or if someone was careless with a discarded cigarette or a barbecue, they would face prison.