The Canary Island Government's Ministry of Health has established a group to monitor all available data on air quality, epidemiological surveillance, bathing water, drinking water and food quality.

This surveillance has included collecting samples from unaffected parts of EL Hierro to compare with samples collected in the area affected by volcanic emissions.

 

Public access to information is available on the government's public health site (below), which has also warned residents as a precautionary measure about swimming in the affected areas.

 

Three samples are taken weekly on alternate days to assess water quality, making sure that analysis is available on the same day the samples are taken whenever possible.

Analysis includes the determination of turbulence, electrical conductivity, salinity, pH and sulfate as well as standard microbiological analysis under the Bathing Water control programme.

 

At least once a week water samples are taken from drinking water storage tanks and distribution networks to analyze residual chlorine, temperature, PH and odour.

 

Hourly and daily assessments are made from the Mobile Unit of the Deputy Ministry for the Environment located in La Restinga. Parameters analyzed: SO2 (sulfur dioxide), NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), O3 (ozone), CO (carbon monoxide), H2S (hydrogen sulfide) and PM10 (particulate matter).

Health assessment of air quality: Hourly and daily assessment.

 

The Gran Canaria Department of Health has referred two shipments of dead fish to IUSA (Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Las Palmas) for analysis to investigate the presence of heavy metals (cadmium, lead and mercury) that they meet the standards of the health regulations established limits: Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 of of 19 December 2006 fixing the maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs.

Samples have also been sent to the Deputy Ministry of Fisheries to request the Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM) in Catalonia to establish the levels of dioxins and PCBs in the CSIC laboratory, whether they comply within the standard health regulations.

 

The Epidemiology and Prevention services at health Centres in El Pinar and other centers in El Hierro are assessing citizen's skin conditions daily to detect any adverse health effects that might occur.

 

For full information, go the the Canary Island Government website: www.gobiernodecanarias.org/dgse/sismo_hierro.html  /www.emergenciaselhierro.org and/or the permanent Canary Islands Government helpline 012.

The 1-1-2 phone is only for emergency situations.