© Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources Azerbaijan Republic
Baku's mud volcano Othman-Bozdag on Sunday sent flames and smoke as high as 200-300 meters in two consecutive bursts. A statement by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources said the rare event was still in full swing.
Cracks, some as deep as 40 meters, have also appeared in the area surrounding the volcano, the ministry warned. Luckily, no settlements are located in the immediate vicinity of the volcano.
The ominous sight came as torrential rain struck Baku in the early morning. Water quickly flooded the city's main streets and avenues as well as some metro stations, social media images and local media reports showed.
Mud or sedimentary volcanoes are smaller than regular volcanoes and are often associated with oil fields. Oil-rich Azerbaijan is home to approximately 400 of the world's estimated 1000 mud volcanoes, with most located along its eastern coast. Othman-Bozdag, which is known as the second largest mud volcano in the world last erupted on February 6, 2017.
Comment: Ominous events like those in Azerbaijan are occurring with a greater intensity and frequency all over the planet:
- Yellowstone's Steamboat Geyser has now erupted eight times in less than three months intriguing scientists
- 2 foot of September snow in 24 hours damages apple, potato crops in Himachal Pradesh, India
- Video shows fire tornado in British Columbia, Canada
- Russia's Hephaestus mud volcano erupts chucking muck hundreds of meters (VIDEO)
- 2 French rivers disappear - Geologists suspect through cracks in the ground
For more, check out SOTTs monthly documentary: SOTT Earth Changes Summary - August 2018: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor FireballsAnd for insight into the driving forces behind these changes, check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Earth changes in an electric universe: Is climate change really man-made?