Volcanoes
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Phoenix

Scientists warn of supervolcanos with ability to destroy humanity, urge global governance to prepare

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© USGSMount Redoubt Eruption on April 21, 1990

A report presented by experts at a leading scientific foundation details the possibility of a supervolcano that could return humanity to pre-civilization state, urges global community to prepare.


Special Report

A report by the European Science Foundation has concluded that a large volcanic eruption poses the greatest risk to humanity and that an, "informed global governance system," is needed to prepare for the possibility.

Calling the threat of low-frequency, high impact events, "grossly underestimated," in disaster risk reduction plans worldwide, the report highlights the fact that, "large volcanic eruptions have the potential to impact climate, anthropogenic infrastructure and resource supplies on a global scale."

The 72 page report is chalked full of interesting facts and, overall, paints a picture of a world struggling to grasp the dangers posed by these rarely occurring disasters. Although the report should be read in full by anyone seeking the whole picture, the authors did incorporate a section with their key findings.

Comment: The sheer power and potential destructive force of mother nature should be humbling in its realization. Incredible to think that our planet's natural processes are capable of so much more destruction than the results of the psychopathic drive towards annihilation - which we read about every day in the articles posted to the Puppet Masters section of SOTT.net. But even more incredible is to know that the psychopathic aims and actions that are referred to there actually do affect the Earth's changes in fascinating ways. Read Earth Changes and the Human Cosmic Connection to understand how.


Attention

Mexico's 'Volcano of Fire' in Colima spews colossal column of ash over Ciudad Guzman


Mexico's Colima volcano has spewed a giant 3.5-kilometre-high column of ash that rained down on a nearby city, authorities say. The Jalisco state civil protection agency said a "moderate" quantity of ash fell on Ciudad Guzman, a town near the western state of Colima, where the volcano is located.

A civil protection official said there were no reports of damage or injuries in the city of 100,000 people.

Officials urged the population to use masks if they venture out of their homes, remove excess ash from rooftops so they do not collapse and cover water drains.

Comment: See SOTT's latest coverage on increasing volcanic activity:


Bizarro Earth

The number of volcanoes erupting right now is greater than the 20th century's YEARLY average

Volcano Eruption
© endoftheamericandream.comVolcano Eruption.
Is the number of volcanic eruptions worldwide increasing? Yes. During the 20th century, there were a total of 3,542 volcanic eruptions globally. That works out to approximately 35 eruptions per year. That may sound like a lot, but according to Volcano Discovery there are 36 volcanoes erupting around the world right now. In other words, the number of volcanoes erupting as you read this article is greater than the 20th century's yearly average.

And all of this is part of a larger trend. In 2013, we witnessed the most volcanic eruptions worldwide that we had ever seen in a single year, and 2015 is already threatening to be another one for the record books. All over the planet, volcanoes that have long been dormant are beginning to wake up, and this is greatly puzzling many scientists.

Fortunately, most of the eruptions in recent years have been relatively small. But scientists tell us that if we do see a VEI 7 or a VEI 8 eruption today, the amount of energy that would be released would be somewhere in the neighborhood of a million nuclear bombs going off all at once, and such an eruption would completely literally transform our civilization almost overnight.

The last VEI 7 eruption that the world witnessed was in Indonesia in 1815.

According to the Express, that massive eruption resulted in a "year without summer" and created famine all over the globe...
The deadly eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia sparked what was known as the 'Year Without Summer' in 1815 as crops failed and livestock died in much of the Northern Hemisphere - causing the worst famine for hundreds of years.

However, academics have warned that the chances of a similar disaster happening in the next 85 years, which could see the Earth flung back into a "pre-civilisation state", was estimated to be as high as one in 10.

Due to dense population, an eruption which killed tens of thousands only two centuries ago would now be "cataclysmic" for today's population, the authors warned.

"Large volcanic eruptions have the potential to impact climate, anthropogenic infrastructure and resource supplies on a global scale," the panel of geologists, economists and climate scientists from the European Science Foundation have written in a new paper.
If you don't think that such a thing could happen today, you should keep in mind that global food production is just barely keeping up with global food demand. In fact, in some years the world actually eats more food than it produces. Global food reserves are at perilously low levels, and so a "year without summer" would be absolutely cataclysmic.

And right now, some of the biggest volcanoes in the world are starting to wake up.

Arrow Down

Ubinas volcano in Peru triggers massive mudslide

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© Weather Channel
Dramatic images have emerged from Peru after heavy snowfall, ash from the Ubinas volcano and warming temperatures triggered a massive mudslide earlier this week.

The Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP) was conducting geogphysical measurements when the mudslide began to cascade down the mountain, and filmed the event

According to Peru This Week, towns in the Ubinas Valley are on alert for more volcanic activitiy, and residents have been advised to wear masks. Authorities in Peru have not ordered evacuations, the website reported.

The IGP reports that the landslide was due to ash deposits from the volcano's eruption on April 8 and heavy snow that fell April 10-11. As skies cleared and temperatures warmed on April 12-13, the snow melted and caused the mudslide.


Hourglass

Experts warn North Korea's Mount Baekdu poised for eruption

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© Flickr/zarukaMount Baekdu
Mt. Baekdu, (Mount Paektu ) the symbolically charged volcano straddling North Korea and China, could erupt again soon, a study warns. Professor Yoon Sung-hyo of Pusan National University says there are indications that the volcano, though quiet for decades, could erupt any time and urged closer monitoring of the situation. The last eruptive activity at the volcano occurred in 1903, though prior past eruptions were among some of the largest in recorded history.

He says the concentration of helium in the volcano has been rising over the last decade or so, and magma levels are creeping up. Yoon has been warning of another eruption since 2010, the first Korean to add his voice to a growing chorus of regional seismologists.
Source: Chosun Media

Hardhat

Hekla volcano in Iceland shaken by earthquake swarm

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Small earthquake swarms occurred at shallow depths during the past days near the volcano. The quakes were located approx. 6-10 km south of Hekla volcano and at shallow depths around 5 km.
The largest quakes were two magnitude 2.6 events at 4 km depth on Thursday (9 April). It is impossible to say whether the earthquakes are linked to volcanic activity and thus might be precursors of a new eruption, but Hekla is probably the most likely candidate volcano for the next eruption to occur on Iceland.
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One of the country's most active, and the most frequently erupting volcano, Hekla has been believed to be "due" and have its magma chamber filled for several years now. Known for not giving much precursory signals (and only few earthquakes), an eruption would not be a surprise at all.

Kliuchevskoi (Kamchatka): After less than two weeks pause, the volcano started to erupt again - mild strombolian explosions at the summit crater and small ash emissions.

Attention

Mount Zao volcano shaken by swarm of twelve earthquakes

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Mt Zao
Fears of fresh eruption of Mount Zao, a volcano that sits on the border of the Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures, rattled Japan after the country's meteorological agency recorded 12 volcanic earthquakes on Tuesday.

The seismic activity prompted warnings of a volcanic eruption, with the agency asking the public to stay safe from falling rocks in a 1.2 km radius of the volcano, The Japan Times reported.

The agency said that ash from the eruption can even reach beyond the radius, causing panic after last year's deadly volcanic eruption of Mount Ontake, which erupted without warning on 27 September and killed 60 people.

The meteorological agency has advised neighbouring towns to raise alert levels in the areas close to the volcano.

The warning will affect business at a popular ski resort, as well as mountain trails and restaurants.

Arrow Up

Peru's Ubinas volcano explodes, spreads ashes over nearby villages

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© Peru21/USIThe Ubinas volcano erupted this morning at 4:24 a.m.
The Ubinas volcano erupted early this morning, sprinkling ashes over villages only minutes later.

Nearly on the anniversary of the evacuation of 28 thousand camelids from its pastures, the Ubinas volcano erupts once again.

The Ubinas volcano of the Moquegua region erupted this morning at 4:24 a.m. causing a layer of ash to fall over nearby villages minutes later, according to Perú21.

On March 31, 2014, the volcano's eruption caused Querapi residents to be evacuated as it sits just five kilometers from the volcano. Days later on April 21, Peru ordered the evacuation of the camelid animals, as the volcano posed a threat following further activity.

Today the Ubinas volcano erupted after about four months of calm. The National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology of Peru (SENAMHI) calculated that the 2.5 km column of ash above the crater could reach more than 15 kilometers to the southeast.

Escacha and Ubinas Valley therefore will be receiving a layer of ash on their homes, cars, sidewalks, and buidlings today following the eruption.

Scientific institutions advise that the local populations protect themselves with masks and goggles and to protect water resources and food to prevent contamination.

Attention

Turrialba Volcano erupts again spewing hot rocks and ash 2 kilometers high

Turrialba Volcano is at it again.

The Volcanological and Seismological Observatory (OVSICORI) released video Tuesday of an eruption at 2:07 a.m., when a column of hot rocks and ash rocketed out of the colossus. The eruption sent ash 2 kilometers into the air.

The eruption's most dramatic moment comes 14 seconds into the video when a rush of heat from the crater flashes white on the screen.

Ash and sulphur smells from the eruption were reported as far away as Cuidad Quesada and across Alajuela, Escazú, Heredia and Curridabat, among other places. See the map from OVSICORI for more details:

A crowdsourced map of ash and sulphur smells from the April 7, 2015 eruption at Turrialba Volcano.
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Click here to participate in OVSICORI's ash/sulphur survey (in Spanish).

Comment: Turrialba Volcano spews more ash over Costa Rica's Central Valley


Blue Planet

Turrialba Volcano spews more ash over Costa Rica's Central Valley

Update 2:31 p.m., April 5: Police Chief Juan José Andrade confirms that police are evacuating tourists in areas surrounding Turrialba Volcano. Police were forced to evacuate a group of tourists that had attempted to approach the volcano to watch the explosion.
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© OVSICORITurrialba Volcano begins another ash eruption at approximately 11:25 a.m. on April 5, 2015.
Geologists with the National University's Volcanological and Seismological Observatory (OVSICORI) reported another ash eruption from Turrialba Volcano starting at 11:24 a.m. Sunday and lasting for an hour. The eruption is the latest in a string of blasts since October from the active volcano, located 50 kilometers northeast of the capital San José.

According to OVSICORI, the column of ash reached 500 meters into the sky over the volcano and rained large quantities of ash onto nearby farms. As of 1:30 p.m. the volcano was still emitting large quantities of gas and vapor though very little ash. Winds have carried the volcanic dust southwest where it has reached the outskirts of the capital. There are reports of large quantities of ash East of San José in Tres Ríos and San Pedro as well as in the western suburb of Escazú.

OVSICORI's equipment also registered a small, three-minute tremor at the time of the eruption.

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