Madrid - The tourist board on the popular Spanish holiday island of Tenerife has moved quickly to calm suspicions that the island is facing an imminent volcanic eruption.
Part of the volcanic Canary Island archipelago off the west coast of Africa, Tenerife is dominated by the volcano Mount Teide. Its beaches attract holidaymakers all year round.
Recent days have seen a rise in seismic activity with over 100 mini-earthquakes recorded on Sunday, although none of them was powerful enough to be felt by humans.
The seismic activity was ignored in Spain, but became front page news in the British tabloids with stories warning that Mount Teide, which last erupted in 1909, was going to blow and that there was “panic” on the island.
In response, Tenerife Tourist Board issued a statement to allay fears and assure holidaymakers there was no risk of an imminent eruption.
“Due to its volcanic origin, Tenerife is continuously monitored and any seismic activity associated with magma would be detected in very early stages. It is worth pointing out that the last volcanic eruption that took place on the island happened over 100 years ago, causing no personal injuries of any kind,” reads the statement.
The statement said there had been no changes as a result of the micro earthquakes, there were no current risks, and assured the situation was “totally safe.”
Xinhau