Even larger? Oh oh.
From MSNB .com: 2nd Iceland Volcano Issues Ominous Warning
LONDON - A second, much larger volcano in Iceland is showing signs that it may be about to erupt, scientists have warned.Since the start of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, which caused cancellations of thousands of flights in Europe because of a giant ash cloud, there has been much speculation about neighboring Katla.
An initial research paper by the University College of London Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction said: "Analysis of the seismic energy released around Katla over the last decade or so is interpreted as providing evidence of a rising ... intrusive magma body on the western flank of the volcano."
"Earlier seismic energy release at Katla is associated with the inflation of the volcano, which indicates it is close to failure, although this does not appear to be linked to seismicity around Eyjafjallajökull," it added."We conclude that given the high frequency of Katla activity, an eruption in the short term is a strong possibility," the report said. "It is likely to be preceded by new earthquake activity. Presently there is no unusual seismicity under Katla."
Meanwhile, half a world away...
From the New York Times: 2 Volcanoes Erupt in the Americas
Explosive eruptions shook two huge volcanoes in Central and South America on Friday, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes and disrupting air traffic as ash drifted over wide regions.
The Pacaya volcano, about 25 miles south of Guatemala City, began spewing lava and rocks on Thursday, blanketing the capital with ash and closing the international airport.
A television reporter was killed and three children were missing, a spokesman for the national disaster committee said. The volcano’s eruption lost some intensity on Friday, according to the country’s Geophysical Research and Services Unit.
Meanwhile, strong explosions rocked the Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador, prompting the evacuations of hundreds of people from nearby villages. The National Geophysics Institute said that ash plumes soared six miles above the 16,479-foot crater. An institute researcher, Sandro Vaca, told Radio Sonorama that the eruption “seems to be growing rapidly,” but that there were no immediate reports of deaths.
The Obama administration issued the following statement regarding the volcanic activity: "It's Bush's fault!" AlGore could not be reached for comment, and it will only be a matter of time before actor/activist Danny Glover blames the volcanoes on man-made global warming.
Given all this volcanic activity, it only makes sense to include the following:
This song's always been one of my favorites from Genesis.
