Although no eruptive activity has taken place for a whole three days, the cone is still showing mild degassing. No lava flows are active anymore, drawing nearer the prospect of the official confirmation to declare the eruption is finally over. But while exports need to wait a bit longer for that to happen, some doubt remains as to the significance of the continuing earthquake activity which returned after the volcano’s mini-break.

       They are currently low energy and are overall on a decreasing trend, experts say they are still significant.

       They add that it might indicate that magma at depth is still able to pressurize and fracture rocks deep down, creating intrusions that might eventually allow it to rise further.

       But this is the only option.

       It might also be an adjustment of the system triggered by the massive shifts of masses that happened during the eruption.

       This would mean that the earthquakes would slowly die out.

       Last week, there were three quakes of magnitudes 3.3-3.5 at 35-36 km depth, as well as many more smaller quakes (22 quakes of magnitudes 2.0-2.9 and 48 quakes below magnitude 2.0).

       Looking at the trend of recent quakes, it might appear that there has been an increase.

       But the increase is mostly in the number of quakes, especially for those in the deeper region around 30-40 km.

       This is mainly an artefact created by the lack of volcanic tremor, which acted as noise during the eruption and was just hiding smaller quakes in its signal.

       But now, the very sensitive seismic devices can pick up tiny quakes below magnitudes of 2, as well as quakes deeper down (whose signals at the surface are much weaker).

       This means that most of the apparent increase of quakes is only an increase in detection sensitivity.

       But a weak increase in the total energy of the seismic activity is still visible.

       While it is likely that this is part of a normal fluctuation, it is difficult to know for certain.

       Last week, after a period of low seismic activity, Canary Islands Volcanology Institute Involcan wrote on Twitter: “That does not mean the eruption has finished, because in the past this has been followed by a new surge in activity.

       READ MORE: Covid horror as ANOTHER new variant discovered in France

       “This is the longest length of time with no earthquakes since the eruption began.”

       Rubén López, a volcanologist, said of the minimal activity in the volcano: “Hopefully it will stay that way and we can start thinking about the end of this.”

       While earthquakes have returned, experts are still hopeful that the eruption is winding down.

       The region of Cumbre Vieja can hopefully start to rebuild after being devastated by the volcano.

       DON'T MISS

       First Briton to die with Omicron was unvaccinated conspiracy theoriest [REVEAL]

       MH370 found? Satellite images expose possible 'impact event' [REPORT]

       Pfizer's effectiveness against Omicron variant unveiled in new study [INSIGHT]

       Thousands of jobs were lost and damage to properties reached millions.

       The eruption was La Palma’s longest on record, and it destroyed around 3,000 local building.

       Huge areas of farmland were smothered in lava and forced several thousand people were forced to abandon their homes.