Merapi volcano (Java, Indonesia): increasing earthquakes - an ominous sign of upcoming dangerous eruption?
Sat, 2 Jan 2021, 16:11
16:11 PM | BY: T
Seismic activity at Merapi during the past 3 months (image: VSI)
Indonesia's volcanologists recorded a record number of volcanic earthquakes under the volcano, namely 720 quakes yesterday and 680 the day before, both of which represented new records in recent months. The average for the month of November had been around 30 before these record figures. It is particularly worrying that many of the newly detected tremors may be caused by rock-breaking magma which has the power to create new magma conduits or widen existing ones inside the volcano itself. These tremors are known as volcano-tectonic quakes and can be quite dangerous.
In response to the latest activity, local authorities have extended the existing state of emergency for Merapi by one more month. As many as 240 people, recently evacuated from homes lying in particularly dangerous places around the slopes of the volcano, will need to be more patient before being allowed to return home.
It is probably only a question of time before fresh magma once again emerges from the summit vent. The big question is when and how much. If the magma's volume is large enough to create a dome that's bigger than the capacity of the crater, this will almost certainly generate extremely dangerous and potentially large glowing avalanches, known as pyroclastic flows. These turbulent hot flows can destroy everything in their path and can devastate large areas of lower-lying terrain, especially around the region's river valleys at a distance of 10-20 km from the volcano.
Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and has been producing such flows, often large ones, very frequently. This and the fact that its slopes are densely inhabited makes it one of the deadliest volcanoes whose pyroclastic flows have repeatedly claimed many victims.
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Previous news
Sat, 2 Jan 2021, 15:25
A series of earthquakes shook the flanks of Etna volcano during the past days. Since the afternoon of 31 Dec 2020 until this morning, a swarm of tremors has occurred at depths of 10-15 km mainly under the southern flank of the volcano. ... read all
Sat, 2 Jan 2021, 15:02
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude 4.5 quake in the United States near Soledad, Monterey County, California, only 6 minutes ago. The earthquake hit early morning on Saturday 2 January 2021 at 6:42 am local time at a very shallow depth of 4 miles. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report. ... read all
Sat, 2 Jan 2021, 14:56
An earthquake of magnitude 3.2 occurred early morning on Saturday 2 January 2021 at 6:36 am local time near Soledad, Monterey County, California, USA, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). ... read all
Sat, 2 Jan 2021, 14:19
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Luwuk, Kabupaten Banggai, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, was reported only 10 minutes ago by Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), considered the main national agency that monitors seismic activity in Indonesia. The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km beneath the epicenter in the evening on Saturday 2 January 2021 at 9:59 pm local time. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report. ... read all
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