Pacific
After volcanic eruption: Small island formed off Japan
A new island has formed near the Japanese island of Iwoto in the Pacific Ocean after an underwater volcano erupted. photo
© Uncredited/Kyodo News/AP/dpa
Where there used to be only water and sea, today a small island has taken its place: a rocky islet about 100 meters in diameter. Will it still grow?
A new island has formed near the Japanese island of Iwoto in the Pacific Ocean following the eruption of an underwater volcano. The rocky island has a diameter of around 100 meters, the Japanese news agency Kyodo quotes on its website Fukashi Maeno from the Earthquake Research Institute at the University of Tokyo.
Maeno said he was able to confirm the existence of the island during an overflight of the area in question on October 30th. The volcanic island of Iwoto (Iwo Jima) is located about 1200 kilometers south of Tokyo.
According to Maeno, the eruptions occurred about a kilometer from Iwoto in the Pacific. Accordingly, clouds of smoke rose every few minutes. They would have reached a height of more than 50 meters. Occasionally the volcano also spewed out pieces of rock a few meters in diameter.
Japanese media reported, citing the weather bureau, that so-called volcanic earthquakes had been detected since October 21st. The new landmass formed near the crater of the underwater volcano. There were underwater eruptions in the area last year and in June of this year. The new island could become even larger if the eruptions continue, Maeno said. That’s not certain.