Tenerife to conduct volcanic emergency drill and mobile alerts

Tenerife will conduct a volcanic emergency drill on Thursday, October 22, as part of the VOLCANEX Tenerife 2026 exercise. The drill, organized by the Cabildo de Tenerife, will test the ES-Alert system, which sends direct notifications to smartphones without requiring an app installation.

Between 9:00 and 14:00, the 112 Emergency Coordination Center will issue three simulated alerts. The first alert will target the entire island of Tenerife, with potential residual reception in Gran Canaria, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro. This initial message will simulate a transition to an orange volcanic alert level under the PEVOLCA protection plan. Subsequent alerts will target specific zones and eventually signal the conclusion of the exercise.

The simulation specifically focuses on the evacuation of the Chirche and Aripe areas in Guía de Isora, as well as parts of Santiago del Teide. The exercise follows scientific reports of a magma pocket located approximately ten kilometers beneath Pico Viejo. Local authorities aim to measure response capacities and improve citizen knowledge regarding emergency protocols.