This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/07/surprise-awakening-of-papua-new-guinea-volcano-forces-evacuations
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Surprise awakening of Papua New Guinea volcano forces evacuations | Surprise awakening of Papua New Guinea volcano forces evacuations |
(8 days later) | |
More than 500 people taken to safety as long-dormant Kadovar Island starts spewing ash in its first such activity on record | |
Reuters in Sydney | |
Sun 7 Jan 2018 07.28 GMT | |
Share on Facebook | |
Share on Twitter | |
Share via Email | |
View more sharing options | |
Share on LinkedIn | |
Share on Pinterest | |
Share on Google+ | |
Share on WhatsApp | |
Share on Messenger | |
Close | |
An island volcano in Papua New Guinea has begun spewing ash into the air, forcing the evacuation of more than 500 residents, media and non-profit groups have said. | An island volcano in Papua New Guinea has begun spewing ash into the air, forcing the evacuation of more than 500 residents, media and non-profit groups have said. |
Kadovar Island, a 365 metre tall volcanic island just north-east of PNG, was thought to be dormant until it began erupting on 5 January. | Kadovar Island, a 365 metre tall volcanic island just north-east of PNG, was thought to be dormant until it began erupting on 5 January. |
“It’s just a continuous emission of volcanic ash at the moment,” said Cheyne O’Brien, a forecaster at the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. | “It’s just a continuous emission of volcanic ash at the moment,” said Cheyne O’Brien, a forecaster at the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. |
Avoid approaching island: RVO https://t.co/pIXfEfBK3t | Avoid approaching island: RVO https://t.co/pIXfEfBK3t |
Ash clouds had reached a height of 2,133 metres, forming a plume that was travelling west-north-west, said O’Brien. A change in wind direction could hit operations at PNG’s Wewak airport, O’Brien added. | Ash clouds had reached a height of 2,133 metres, forming a plume that was travelling west-north-west, said O’Brien. A change in wind direction could hit operations at PNG’s Wewak airport, O’Brien added. |
All residents of the island have been evacuated with no loss of life, said the US-based charity Samaritan Aviation, which operates seaplanes to remote areas of PNG. | All residents of the island have been evacuated with no loss of life, said the US-based charity Samaritan Aviation, which operates seaplanes to remote areas of PNG. |
An estimated 500-600 people live on the island. The eruption may become explosive, with a risk of tsunamis and landslides, according to comments attributed to PNG’s Rabaul Volcanolo Observatory by Loop PNG. | An estimated 500-600 people live on the island. The eruption may become explosive, with a risk of tsunamis and landslides, according to comments attributed to PNG’s Rabaul Volcanolo Observatory by Loop PNG. |
There were no confirmed records of a previous eruption of Kadovar, said Chris Firth, a vulcanologist at Macquarie University, but scientists speculated it could have been one of two “burning islands” mentioned in the journals of the 17th-century English pirate and maritime adventurer William Dampier. | There were no confirmed records of a previous eruption of Kadovar, said Chris Firth, a vulcanologist at Macquarie University, but scientists speculated it could have been one of two “burning islands” mentioned in the journals of the 17th-century English pirate and maritime adventurer William Dampier. |
Dampier may have recorded the last eruption of Kadovar during a voyage in search of Terra Australis, the southern continent once thought to be mythical, Firth said. | Dampier may have recorded the last eruption of Kadovar during a voyage in search of Terra Australis, the southern continent once thought to be mythical, Firth said. |
Vulcanologists were interested to observe its behaviour, Firth added. “It’s hard to predict what might happen as there’s nothing to compare it to.” | Vulcanologists were interested to observe its behaviour, Firth added. “It’s hard to predict what might happen as there’s nothing to compare it to.” |
Volcanoes | |
Papua New Guinea | |
Natural disasters and extreme weather | |
Asia Pacific | |
news | |
Share on Facebook | |
Share on Twitter | |
Share via Email | |
Share on LinkedIn | |
Share on Pinterest | |
Share on Google+ | |
Share on WhatsApp | |
Share on Messenger | |
Reuse this content |