A volcano on an uninhabited island in the Galapagos Islands has begun erupting, spewing lava down the side of the mountain and into the ocean below. The La Cumbre volcano on Fernandina Island, about 900 miles from mainland Ecuador, began erupting around midnight local time on Saturday, March 2nd.
[Related: Geologists: We’re not ready for volcanoes.]
This could be the 4,842-foot volcano’s largest eruption since 2017, according to Ecuador’s Geophysical Institute.
“Gas emissions and thermal anomalies were detected through satellite systems.” According to Reuters, Ecuador’s Ministry of the Environment said in a statement:. They added that they would continue to monitor the eruption, but that it was unlikely to affect tourism to the islands.
This volcanic system produced Nearly 30 eruptions have been recorded since 1800.. La Cumbre Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the Galapagos Islands.that The last eruption was in 2020, after a magnitude 4.7 earthquake that caused 29 aftershocks. Most recent eruptions occurred along fissures around the summit crater.
eruption poses no danger to humans, However, Fernandina Island is home to many unique animal species. Her third largest island in the Galapagos is all home to penguins, iguanas, snakes, endemic rats and flightless cormorants.in 2019, a team of scientists discovered a giant tortoise on Fernandina Island that they feared was extinct. The islands in the Pacific Ocean are known around the world for helping Charles Charles develop his Darwinian theory of evolution in the 19th century. Many of the animal species here have “very important” ecological value. According to Galapagos National Park.
‘Imminent eruption’ in Iceland
New volcanic eruption looms more than 5,000 miles to the north and east prompting evacuation of Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon Seismic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland has warned that a nearby volcanic eruption is “imminent”. Between 600 and 800 guests at the resort and spa were evacuated. by iceland monitor.
[Related: How the Tonga eruption rang Earth ‘like a bell’]
Grindavik was again evacuated due to cracks in the ground within the fenced area of the fishing town. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO)The amount of magma accumulating beneath an area called Svartsengi, about two miles north of Grindavik, is expected to reach around 318 million cubic feet by the end of the day on Tuesday, March 5. This is within the range of previous eruptions, and a hazard map published by the IMO shows the areas most at risk.
“We expect another magma flow to occur within the next few days, increasing the likelihood of an eruption.” IMO representatives wrote in a translated statement:. “[The timing of] The next flow of magma will depend on how quickly the pressure from magma buildup beneath Svartsengi increases and erupts. ”
After the last eruption on February 8, Grindavik residents were allowed to return to town.
