volcanos are dangerous than tsunami
September 12, 2007
From: Mrityunjay Bose
Volcanoes pose more danger than Tsunami
PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENT
MUMBAI: Not earthquake, not tsunami will harm the mankind – but volcanoes. When the Vesuvias volcano near Naples in Italy erupted; a town called Pampey was completely ruined. "Volcanoes are going to pose a more danger to the mankind in future," says Prof D Chandrasekharam, an international authority on earth sciences. Toba in Sumatra, which is now dormant, poses a major threat of eruption. And if the Toba super-volcano erupts, it would affect India too, particularly the southern parts of the country.
Dr Chandrasekharam, who is who is the Professor, Department of Earth Sciences and Head, Centre of studies in Resources Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay. "In fact, because of Toba's possible eruption, several countries have started gearing up," Prof Chandrashekharam, who is Senior Associate, The Abdus Salam Centre of Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy, pointed out.
Asked when Toba will erupt, he said: "It may be today or tomorrow, but definitely it will not take as long as 100 years." Like Toba, there are several other active or dormant volcanoes in the Sumatra region. "In fact there are several volcanoes located around the Pacific Ocean. It is known as Ring of Fire," he said. Talking about the dangers, he said that in the Sumatra-Jawa belt in 1883, the Krakatau volcano erupted. "It was so severe that the entire volcano split into two parts, and because of the material that came out blocking the Sun rays, there was a fall in temperature," he said.
When Toba erupted 74,000 years ago – which is not far away in geological terms – Dr Chandrashekaram, said that available data indicates that it created a huge cloud of ash reducing the sunlight and the volcanic ash traveled to Europe also. Just for sake of comparison: Indian coast is nearly 1,500 to 2,000 kms from Sumatra which is far near if it is seen vis-a-vis Europe.
Prof Chandrashekharam, who us also the Head of Centre of Studies in Resource Engineering at the IIT, said there have been no eruptions at Toba in historical time but the area is seismically active with major earthquakes in 1892, 1916, 1920-1922, and 1987. The Sumatra zone has become active as the Indian plate is pushing the Sumatran plate and because of this friction, some amount of melting is taking place, which has been accumulated over the years and may erupt. "The volcanic activity is generally preceded by seismic activity, but the reverse is not always true," he said.
There have been no eruptions at Toba in historical time. The area is seismically active with major earthquakes in 1892, 1916, 1920-1922, and 1987. Toba is located near the Sumatra Fracture Zone (SFZ). Stratovolcanoes in Sumatra are part of the Sunda arc. Volcanism is the result of the subduction of the Indian Ocean plate under the Eurasian plate.
From: Mrityunjay Bose
Volcanoes pose more danger than Tsunami
PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENT
MUMBAI: Not earthquake, not tsunami will harm the mankind – but volcanoes. When the Vesuvias volcano near Naples in Italy erupted; a town called Pampey was completely ruined. "Volcanoes are going to pose a more danger to the mankind in future," says Prof D Chandrasekharam, an international authority on earth sciences. Toba in Sumatra, which is now dormant, poses a major threat of eruption. And if the Toba super-volcano erupts, it would affect India too, particularly the southern parts of the country.
Dr Chandrasekharam, who is who is the Professor, Department of Earth Sciences and Head, Centre of studies in Resources Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay. "In fact, because of Toba's possible eruption, several countries have started gearing up," Prof Chandrashekharam, who is Senior Associate, The Abdus Salam Centre of Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy, pointed out.
Asked when Toba will erupt, he said: "It may be today or tomorrow, but definitely it will not take as long as 100 years." Like Toba, there are several other active or dormant volcanoes in the Sumatra region. "In fact there are several volcanoes located around the Pacific Ocean. It is known as Ring of Fire," he said. Talking about the dangers, he said that in the Sumatra-Jawa belt in 1883, the Krakatau volcano erupted. "It was so severe that the entire volcano split into two parts, and because of the material that came out blocking the Sun rays, there was a fall in temperature," he said.
When Toba erupted 74,000 years ago – which is not far away in geological terms – Dr Chandrashekaram, said that available data indicates that it created a huge cloud of ash reducing the sunlight and the volcanic ash traveled to Europe also. Just for sake of comparison: Indian coast is nearly 1,500 to 2,000 kms from Sumatra which is far near if it is seen vis-a-vis Europe.
Prof Chandrashekharam, who us also the Head of Centre of Studies in Resource Engineering at the IIT, said there have been no eruptions at Toba in historical time but the area is seismically active with major earthquakes in 1892, 1916, 1920-1922, and 1987. The Sumatra zone has become active as the Indian plate is pushing the Sumatran plate and because of this friction, some amount of melting is taking place, which has been accumulated over the years and may erupt. "The volcanic activity is generally preceded by seismic activity, but the reverse is not always true," he said.
There have been no eruptions at Toba in historical time. The area is seismically active with major earthquakes in 1892, 1916, 1920-1922, and 1987. Toba is located near the Sumatra Fracture Zone (SFZ). Stratovolcanoes in Sumatra are part of the Sunda arc. Volcanism is the result of the subduction of the Indian Ocean plate under the Eurasian plate.
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