In 18th of March, in a small Kingdom of Tonga in South Pacific, scientists were able to witness a magnificent event. Undersea eruption of volcano, near the island Tongatapu, is not something that could be seen everyday. Scientists said that eruption is probably caused by an quake of magnitude 4.4 that struck this area in March 13th at a depth of almost 150km. Photos I have found are magnificent. Scary and magnificent at the same time.
Eruption itself produced a 7.9 magnitude quake and generated small tsunami in 2:17 p.m., but tsunami alert was revoked only 6 minutes later. Scientists have said there is almost no danger to 10km distant island Tongatapu. On the other hand, warnings were issued for tourists and locals not to come too close to eruption area. Eruptions of this type could be unpredictable. I know I would not like to be that close, even though the feeling of nature strength and personal insignificance could be magic in moments like that.
Tonga government’s chief geologist Kepi Mafi has said that this could be a second try of (re)birth of a new island that have risen 2002. but sunk under the sea. Geologists have said that there is a cluster with 36 undersea volcanoes and seismically very interesting area.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1tjIihHgco
In Serbia we don`t have active volcanoes. Luckily. A hill near Belgrade, Avala, is believed to be a volcano but it was probably more than 600.000 years ago. Also, seismically we, at the north of Serbia, are in very calm area. I can`t say I have anything against it :happy:
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photos taken from Boston.com
gdare 
We have got two big active volcanoes and several smaller ones here and there. Want to trade one to decorate Belgrade? 🙂
awesome
Lorenzo – thank you, but no, thank you; you know, people in Serbia are too stubborn, we could probably not agree who will have it in his backyard; everyone would (not) like to have it :left:Angeliki – a video is facinating, this is what draw my attention at first; a still photo is one thing but being able to watch it happening is completely different 🙂
Darko this is so cool!(a little scary at the same time)I did see it on CNN but now reading about it and watching the video, it makes it some how more fascinating!thanks for sharing ! :yes:
You know, our prime minister had an artificial volcano installed in his villa in Sardegna, to entertain his guests at night parties.You could take one of the smaller ones for a fountain in Belgrade 🙂
So incredible. I'm getting my natural disater fix from you and Glen. I wanted to watch the.video, but the script was garbled and my phone didn't recognize there was a link there! A kindly soul to cut and paste would be greatly appreciated.
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Dudley – :cool:Lorenzo – :faint:Java – sorry I will edit it now and put a direct link :)Mit – yes, cool 😀
Wow! That's amazing!:sst: The volcano, not the being nice to each other ;).I've only seen a Etna puffing a little bit once, and it was very cool to see the video!On the southwest coast of Iceland, there's an island that was "born" after a volcanic eruption.
Aww. Thanks, Dare!!! We're being so nice to each other today! :happy: :heart::lol:
So friggen incredible! :yikes: Loved the dark plumes. Look so menacing! Poor fisherman lost-ed his favorite fishing spot… For a while anyway 😦 Falling rock! :yes: Thank you soooooo much! I love this kind of stuff! :happy:
:eyes: The pictures are as Rose-Marie so well put it, AMAZING! But I would be freaking out if I was nearby that eruption.
Amazing pictures! That second photo looks like a three headed demon arising from the waters! I wonder why they are not worried about a tsunami? You would think this eruption would cause one.
Java – yes we have been nice, have we? :devil:It was an interesting remark on the news that there were no recorded incidednts with animals and fishes; I guess they have felt something is on their way :DRose – I know about Surtsey, few years ago I wanted to go to spend summer holidays in Iceland so I`ve read all that I`ve found on the Internet; unfortunately, it was too expensive + I needed a Schengen visa :irked:MizzM – no one would feel too well around :insane:
It looks completely surreal to me. I never imagined there could be volcanoes under the water! Amazing indeed!
Pam, they have said in news that tsunami started with first explosion but alert was revoked after few minutes. It seems that the wave wanished by itself :left:
I think there are a lot of them in south-east Asia and Pacific 🙂 You are sailing between tropic islands, enjoying sun and emerald-like water and suddenly… ka-boooom :yikes:
San – I feel like that during some really stong storms, with rain, wind and thunders :eyes:Issy – this is what I meant; when Atlantic tectonic plate goes deeper under African, everything is possible; maybe you will have another island there 🙂
Hey, I want one in my backyard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:devil:
Ours came from the sea also! 😀http://theazoresislands.blogspot.com/2008/01/capelinhos-volcano-faial-volcano-that.htmlhttp://rotadashortencias.blogspot.com/2007/08/capelinhos-volcano.html
Canadagirl – your backyard is in ocean? :PIssy – nooo, this is a birth of a tiny miny island :awww: thanks for interesting reading 😀
That's how the Azores were born. They're all of volcanic origin. Pico is the youngest island. About 15 years ago, around 20 km from where Capelinhos is, there was more volcanic activity in the sea. Had it carried on, we may have had another island brewing there, but it calmed down.
That is so awesome. The power of the earth, it makes one feel small and insignificant. (and that's a good thing!)
The end of the world is coming! :whistle:
I know… I know… I know the vulcanologist and he says it can happen any day now. :left: :insane:
I know :DIt would be nice to have an ocean view backyard, though 😀
Uppsss…. it was your house down there?:whistle:
I hope it won`t be devastating to your island :)*crosses fingers*
:yes:
Next time I go to the city, I'll try to purchase this fanastic photo of the volcano erupting and some kids playing on the beach with their father watching the eruption going on in the background. I love that photo. Both boys are with their father. One became the doctor who helped me give birth to my daughter and the other is the leader of the Communist party here. They're both really nice people. They made a lovely book of all the photography they took also. 🙂
OH no,it's just comment about yours and Lorenzo's conversation :whistle:
Who's house!? Mine? 😥 Dammit Dare, I just cleaned-ed it! Canadagirl- Now I've seen you in two places! (@Zaphira's too). I'm from Wisconsin… :sst: And it's cold here too today! 😦
Hmmmm. *narrows eyes* Are you up to something, now? Cuz you have been nice… Mayyybe too nice…. :sherlock:
http://my.opera.com/nepmak2000/blog/2009/02/19/the-unexpected-mega-quake#comments
Issy – it would be nice to see some of those photgraphs in your blog :yes:thanks for the link :)Java – you are from Wisconsin? I thought you are from New York or Washington :eyes:
Nope! Ice queen until recently! :headbang: Dennis is from NY state.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Wow, what an explosion! :yikes: It's good thing they wern't at their favorite fishing spot when it blew. :right:
Eric – exactly; anyway, fish was already gone 😛
Awesome and scary 😉
I`ve already checked on that Faial video. But you know that 😉
😆 yes
As with most of nature`s phenomenons 😀
@ Darko, I do have photos in my blog of my island. Mostly in older posts tagged my photos. I think I'll add more to my albums. 🙂
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I imagine that if a person would get in on the "ground floor" (or "undersea floor") that you could eventually make some money off of real estate on the new island.For volcanos in my state of Washigton, just watch Dante's Peak. It's not really all that unrealistic. Thanks for the pics, I didn't know about this at all.
I have seen Dante`s Peak about 6 or 7 years ago. I have found that film was somewhat based on a real eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. also in state of Washington. Actually, this part of the world is know as Cascade Range that spreads from Canada to California and has about 160 active volcanoes :eyes:
powerful and awesome thing to watch
Nature on the loose. I'd be scared out of my wits if I were there.
The scarriest nature behaviour I have witnessed was a storm in Croatian mountain area Gorski kotar, in 1987. A lot of rain, wind and thunders, it was night and my friend and me were out in the open, on the road between two villages. The flashes were very strong so we couldn`t see normally and at one point a thunder hit a tree about 50m from us, breaking it apart. I thought I would die at that moment. Couldn`t sleep till the morning. Another thunder hit a church tower that night, luckily there was lightning arester and there was no fire after it.