Mount Sinabung is just one of the 130 volcanoes that extend along the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
During the last 10 days close to 40 volcanos worldwide have been showing signs of activity and great deal of them, 34, are located along the very active Ring Fire.
Considering that in the 20th century the average number of volcanic eruptions was 35 per year, what we are seeing just this week is above last century's average for an entire year. This increasing volcanic activity around the the Ring of Fire is not new...
Comment: Wait, what?! How you they say that after what they said right before it?!
"This is a completely new phenomenon... and it's nothing new!"Sounds like doublespeak to us.
...the region is home to 452 volcanoes, 75% of all earth's, and geologists have been warning that this 25,000 mile stretch of active and dormant volcanoes is becoming more unstable in recent years.
© Google mapsSatelite image of Mt Sinabung, the most active volcano in Indonesia and one of the most active in the world.
During the weekend of May 21 and 22, the northern skies of the Indonesian island of Sumatra were covered with a thick black cloud of ash and gases resulting from the eruption of Mount Sinabung, Indonesia's most active volcano. Several cities in the area were evacuated and in the village of Gembar, seven people lost their lives, all of them farmers, after inhaling deadly gases. Sinabung is one of the many active volcanoes in the island, and after showing signs of activity back in early November of 2014, many residents in the area were forced to relocate in other villages of northern Sumatra located at a safer distance from the volcano.
© irsanmulyadi/Instagram
© irsanmulyadi/InstagramScreenshot of a video shot by photojournalist Irsan Mulyadi shows a dog covered with ashes lies on the streets of the village of Gembar in northern Sumatra. Many areas of the island have been covered with ash after the violent eruption of Sinabung.
© irsanmulyadi/InstagramOne of the main threats for the people that live near the volcano is breathing very toxic gases emitted. These two children cover themselves with a plastic bag to avoid inhalation of Sulfur and Chlorine compounds addition to ash.
While Sinabung was doing its thing in Indonesia, many other volcanos around the world were showing signs of activity this week.
© Ezequiel Becerra/AFP/Getty ImagesSmoke and ash billows from the 3,340-metre (11,000-foot) Turrialba volcano near Cartago, Costa Rica, on May 20, 2016. The Turrialba erupted Friday near the capital of Costa Rica, choking surrounding communities with smoke and ash. In the capital San Jose, 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the volcano, the air reeked of sulphur as dust and ash coated buildings and vehicles.
The small Central America country has a dozen active volcanoes and it is located close to the capital, San Jose.
Early last week, a prolonged and violent eruption dropped a significant amount of ash over the city and nearby towns, forcing many people to wear masks and in some cases evacuate entire neighborhoods.
© Ezequiel Becerra/AFP/Getty ImagesPeople look at the Turrialba volcano as it spewes ashes on May 20, 2016, in Cartago, Costa Rica. The Turrialba volcano started erupting columns of smoke and ash that the wind extended towards the Costa Rican capital, in what according to experts is the strongest eruption in the past six years.
In the case of the Mexican volcano, the Monday (May 23) eruption was very fiery, with significant ash and lava flows along the foothills. Due to local weather conditions the large cloud of ash covered many areas of the nearby city of Puebla and forced the local airport to close.
This recent eruption has been the first major one since the year 2000.
© Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty ImagesView of the Popocatepetl volcano at dawn from the Izta-Popo National Park, in the central Mexican state of Puebla, on January 31, 2016.
537 volcanoes going active in a year is 15 times the 20th Century average. The increase is Astronomical, far beyond any simple anomaly. At this rate, one does not need a supervolcano, the sheer number of eruptions is going to have an effect on the climate, spreading aerosols and blocking out sunlight. The net effect is to cool the Planet, minus any heat released from the Planet's interior in the form of magma.