Nabro Volcano Eruption In Eritrea Rumbles Into Third Week

IrishWeatheronline: Nabro Volcano Eruption In Eritrea Rumbles Into Third Week
A volcano that erupted for the first time in recorded history more than two weeks ago is continuing to emit large volumes of ash and sulphur dioxide (SO2) into the skies over Eritrea and northern Ethiopia.

The Nabro stratovolcano, which is located close to Eritrea’s border with Ethiopia in northeast Africa, temporarily affected air traffic two weeks ago when the ash plume drifted as far away as Israel, Jordan, Turmenistan and the Central African Republic (CAR).

Images from the MODIS satellite showed a thick ash plume drifting over Eritrea’s border into Ethiopia Monday afternoon. The volcanic ash was drifting SSW. Winds in the region were light NNE when the below images were captured at midday Monday.

Meanwhile, the eruption of the stratovolcano has created a new landmass, according to the director general of Mines at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Mr. Alem Kibreab. Mr. Alem said that the ash and lava emitted from the Southern Red Sea region volcano has created a new land mass measuring hundreds of square metres. The director general also disclosed that a team composed of geological and volcanic experts is conducting studies in the area.

According to reports, 7 people have died while 3 people have sustained injuries due to the eruption. The Ministry confirmed that inhabitants of the area have been moved to safer locations while at the same time they are being given basic provisions.

Nabro began erupting on Sunday 12 June, 2011, the first ever recorded eruption of the stratovolcano. The resultant ash plume, extending up to 15km into the air, led to some flight cancellations in neighbouring Sudan, Djibouti and Ethiopia. The ash cloud was carried as far away as Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkmenistan, Somalia, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Egypt. A second eruption on Thursday 16th June sent a massive ash plume westnorthwest over Sudan threatening to bring further disruption to air traffic in the east Africa region. The volcano has continued to emit varying amounts of ash, SO2 and water vapour since..

Part of the Afar Triangle, Nabro is one of many volcanic caldera complexes in the north easternmost part of the East African Rift valley region. The stratovolcano is located in the Danakil Depression, close to Eritrea’s border with Ethiopia and north of Djibouti, and has not erupted in at least 150 years. According to data, a similar volcanic eruption in Eritrea occurred in 1861, in Dubbi, Southern Denkel.

Nabro is the most prominent of 3 large volcanoes (Nabro, Dubbi, Mallahle) in the region, each containing a large summit caldera. Nabro comprises lava domes, lava flows, and two calderas, 8 and 5 km in diameter.

The volcano is located along the Great Rift Valley, also known as the East African Rift. the divergent plate boundary extends from the Afar Triple Junction southward across eastern Africa, and is in the process of splitting the African Plate into two new separate plates, the Nubian Plate and the Somali Plate. Seismic activity is frequent in Ethiopia In 1961 alone three thousand tremors were recorded from the centre of the Wollo province resulting in a 20km fissure being opened on the slopes of the Borkena graben.