As Tenerife prepares for its largest-ever volcanic drill later this month, many on mainland Spain may be concerned about what would happen if Mount Teide really were to erupt.
Below is what the experts say would reach Andalucia, based on science, history and weather patterns.
Why is Tenerife having a drill?
Tenerife is set to carry out a volcano emergency drill from September 22 to 28, with a full-scale simulation scheduled for September 26.
Residents will receive alerts and some will be temporarily evacuated to test island-wide preparedness.
Teide, a decade volcano, is under active watch. Its last eruption occurred in 1909, and authorities consider it likely to erupt again, though the timing remains uncertain.
What could reach Andalucia?
Volcanic ash
The most probable impact on mainland Andalucia would come from volcanic ash.
Tiny particles, or ‘tephra’, can be carried hundreds to thousands of kilometres by prevailing winds.
Given the Canary Islands’ southwest-to-northeast wind patterns, eastern Andalucia could experience:
- Reduced air quality, triggering respiratory issues and complicating aviation.
- Public transport delays, disrupted farming, and a need for cleanup operations across towns and coastal areas.
Volcanic gases
Emissions such as sulphur dioxide are also dispersed by wind and may reach Andalucia.
High concentrations can result in acid rain and heightened risks for respiratory illnesses.
Would it cause a tsunami?
While more dramatic hazards – like pyroclastic flows, lava, or ballistic projectiles – are dangerous near the eruption source, they pose no threat to the mainland, being geographically limited to Tenerife and its immediate surroundings.
A remote and highly speculative scenario involves a volcanic flank collapse causing a tsunami, as has been theorised for the La Palma volcano Cumbre Vieja.
However, current research suggests such events are rare, complex, and not immediately credible.
Andalucia, if affected, would likely see only minor wave effects – and this remains mostly a scientific thought experiment rather than an imminent threat.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
