© INVOLCAN
92 microquakes were recorded in Adeje and Vilaflor in the space of four hours on Sunday October 2
FEARS are mounting that a huge volcano on the island of Tenerife could erupt after nearly 100 mini earthquakes were reported in FOUR HOURS in the region
The Volcanology Institute of the Canary Islands (Involcan) reported a significant spike in seismic activity on Sunday afternoon.
Some 92 microquakes were recorded in Adeje and Vilaflor in the space of four hours, with one measuring more than 1.5 on the Richter scale.
The majority of the quakes took place between
7 and 13km below ground sparking fears Mount Teide could be about to blow.
Involcan has sent teams to the area to measure the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere following the quakes,
which they described as a "seismic swarm" which is "abnormal" for the region.
An increase in carbon dioxide is said to be an early indicator of volcanic earthquake activity that can precede an eruption.
Involcan said in a statement: "We are registering an important seismic rally on the island of Tenerife.
"In principle, these earthquakes are very low magnitude, consistent with those that occur in active volcanoes.
"The number of earthquakes is provisional pending the analysis of the signals more closely, but we can qualify this activity as a seismic swarm whose pattern is an alignment with prevailing direction northeast to southwest ".
Comment: 5.6 magnitude earthquake, strongest in state history, rattles Oklahoma early Saturday - revised to 5.8! (UPDATE)