Threats of potential extreme geohazards against humanity became partial reality this month, following the spectacular eruption of the Calbuco volcano in southern Chile (photo above); and the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in northern Nepal.  The Nepal earthquake, occurring in one of the poorest countries in the world, has so far killed more than 7,400 people, made thousands homeless; and caused deadly avalanches on nearby Mt. Everest. Entire rural villages were destroyed.

These natural geohazards have also occurred in the Mediterranean Sea region, especially in Turkey which is constructing a large nuclear power plant at Akkuyu. Historically, severe earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have also occurred in what is now modern day Israel and Lebanon.

True, the eastern Mediterranean is not the Himalayas or the Pacific “Ring of fire”  that contains many dormant and active volcanoes, as well as being prone to frequent earthquakes. The area that emcompasses Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan does have a history of earthquakes as well as volcanic activity.

Turkey has frequent earthquakes, some of them being quite severe. One of the worst ones in recent times was the 7.4 magnitude earthquake (photo below) which devastated the Turkish resort city of Izmit in August, 1999. The quake struck at 3 a.m. while most people were asleep. More than 17,000 people died in this earthquake; many of them due to shoddy construction standards of apartment buildings. More than 500,000 were left homeless.

Since then, other earthquakes have occurred in Turkey, whose western and eastern borders straddle two major subterranean fault lines:  the North Anatolian Fault, which runs across the entire northern part of Turkey; and the East Anatolian Fault, which runs along the country’s eastern borders with both Iraq and Syria.

Another major fault line, the Dead Sea Transform, is an extension of the Syrian-African Rift.  This fault line stretches 4830  km (3,000 miles) from northern Syria to Mozambique. Although no catastrophic earthquakes have occurred in the section shared  by Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan in recent times, historic catastrophic earthquakes have occurred.

Numerous smaller quakes measuring up to 4.5 on the Richter scale have occured in recent times; especially in the Eilat-Aqaba area. The Mediterranean Sea off the costlines of Syria, Lebanon and Israel also has earthquakes occurring. A quake measuring 4.2 in magnitude occurred in August, 2011 off Israel’s western shores.

Ron Avni, professor of geology and an earthquake specialist at Ben Gurion University, said then that this earthquake, the strongest one occurring in this area in recent years, could be a warning of a much stronger quake occurring in the future. “It’s not a question of if, but simply a question of when,” he added.

Sicily’s Mt. Etna is presently the region’s most active volcano.  History has recorded some very serious volcanic eruptions, including the massive eruption ot Mt.  Vesuvius, near Naples in 79 BCE.  It completely destroyed the Roman cities of Hurculaneum and Pompeii. Mt  Vesuvius has not erupted since 1944; and although considered largly dormant, is still regarded as one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes.

A dormant mega-volcano, one whose mostly submerged cone comprises the Greek Island group of Santorini is  located 300 km S.E.of Athens. This very historical volcano, last erupting in 1950, has had several severe eruptions during its long history. Its most deadly eruption in recorded history occurred in 1,613 BCE, destroying most of Santorini Island. This event may have helped alter the entire region from a historical standpoint (the lost city of Atlantis may have been destroyed by this eruption).

Presently, reports of volcanic magma again building up in waters under Santorini’s volcano crater or caldera, could be an indication that this super volcano may once again erupt explosively.  This type of eruption could result in not only the release of huge amounts of volcanic rock and ash into the atmosphere, but could also cause severe earth tremors and possibly deadly tsunamis.

“Dormant volcanoes like Santorini can become active very quickly; within a time span of only a few decades,” says Tim Druitt, a volcanologist at the University of Blaise Pascal in France.

If Santorni does blow its submerged top, everyone in the eastern Mediterrnean basin, as well possibly on the entire planet, will be affected by its might.

Via: Potashnik & Associates

More articles on earthquakes and volcanoes; and the energy created by them:

Ormat to provide 330 megawatts of geothermal energy in Sumatra Indonesia

Plans for Turkey’s first nuclear power plant revealed

Dr. Helen Caldicutt: Fukushima meltdown much worse than Chernobyl.

Photo of 2015 Nepal Earthquake: Wikipedia.org

Photo of Calbuco Volcano Eruption at Sunset: IB Times

The post The most dangerous spots in the Mediterranean for natural disasters appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Mediterranean Sea basin, especially that bordered by Greece, Turkey, Lebanon and Israel will soon have a new Marine Center that will help to reveal some of the secrets   of this ancient and historical body of water. This includes the ancient seaport of Ceasarea, which was built and made famous during the reign of King Herod the Great and was partially destroyed by earthquakes and subsequent tsunami  tidal waves such as those  caused by mega volcano eruptions in Greece, Crete and Turkey more than 3,000 years ago.

Much historical romanticism surrounds the destruction of the ancient city state of Atlantis; the exact location of which has been said to have been anywhere from islands in the Mediterranean, to an actual continent  in either the Atlantic or Indian Oceans.

The mention of Atlantis was written by the Greek poet and historian Homer, who placed the location of Atlantis as being in the present day Greek island of Santorini, which is actually a large and presently dormant  “super volcano”.

Santorini is located about 120 km north of Crete, another island whose ancient Minoan culture was said to have been destroyed in the 15th century BCE by a massive volcanic eruption on Santorini, then known as Thera. Santorini’s main town is also named Thera; perhaps out of reverence to what was once a major part of the Minoan Empire.

Whether Atlantis ever existed is still shrouded in mystery and has been the topic for several Hollywood films. What is undeniable fact, however, is the demise of the Crete based Minoan civilization, attributed at least in part by the massive volcanic eruption on Santorini. Recent studies of the Santorini volcano indicate that substantial sub-terrain seismic activity is now occurring there; with a large build-up of magma, a mixture of  molten lava and semi-molten rock that has pushed the undersea volcano and island up at least 14 cm (5.5 inches) in the past one and a half years.

The volcano, which has been inactive for the past 25 years, had its last significant eruption in 1950. Area earthquakes, including a serious one in 1956, have been attributed to movement of magma and other volcanic material under the earth. The circular bay between Santorini’s two major islands is actually the Chaldera or submerged cone of the volcano itself.

The Santorini volcano is not the only major volcano to be found in the Mediterranean basin. Italy has three major volcanoes: Vesuvious ( near Naples and the site of the fatal eruption in Roman times that covered up the cities of Herculaneum and Pompei  in 79 CE;  Mt. Etna in Sicily,  still the scene of frequent eruptions. Last, but certainly not least, is the massive Ila Stromboli underwater volcano off southern Italy. This less publicized volcano has erupted continuously for the past 2,000 years.

So much for historical elements. While not that much media attention has so far been given to the current magma build up under the currently sleeping Santorini volcano, a significant eruption complete with earthquakes and huge evictions of volcanic ash and lava would be disastrous for countries in the region.

This especially pertains to Greece, Turkey, Croatia and Montenegro, Cyprus, France, Italy; and also for countries further away. Some of these include Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and all North African countries, including Egypt. Aircraft would not be able to fly in and out of regional airports; and earthquakes caused by the volcano’s eruption could cause serious tsunami tidal waves that haven’t been seen in this region since ancient times.

One might well imagine the effect of 10 to 15 meter high tidal waves on coastal cities like Beirut, Haifa, Tel Aviv and Alexandria. Ancient cities such as Caesarea, Tripoli and Alexandria have all been struck by such waves during their long histories. Such waves, along with the affects of volcanic ash (which blocked out the sun for long periods of time) contributed greatly to the fall of civilizations such as the Minoan one of Crete.

Therefore, what is occurring  under the placid sea at Santorini should not be taken lightly.

More about  issues affecting the Mediterranean, including earthquakes and volcanoes:

Israel’s Marine Center Will Reveal Sea Secrets

Will Israel’s Undersea Pipeline Increase the Mediterranean’s Already Polluted State?

Ancient Caesarea Needs Every Grain of Sand

Photo of Santorini from Shuutterstock

The post Will Submerged Atlantis Super Volcano Cause Giant Tsunami? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Dr. Gotlieb describes a recent trip to his birthplace: Costa Rica

Alajuela Province, July 22, 2010: For a Costa Rican-born Israeli geographer, a 36-hour lightning visit for a family event in San José afforded an opportunity to one of the most unique landscapes and ecosystems in the world.

Atop the Poas Volcano situated in one of Costa Rican’s renown national parks there are two lagoons, one in the central crater of the now-active volcano, the other, the Botos, filled to the brim with rainwater. Surrounding the area is a rare form of woodlands — a cloud forest — a natural aviary with 79 species of birds.

The day I toured the site began with my reading in La Nacion, the country’s leading daily. An article described aspects of Costa Rica’s water resources that stand in stark contrast to our situation in Israel. Like in Israel, water is a central concern in this country. However, rain forests and numerous rivers are found throughout this largely tropical land situated between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, on the Central American isthmus.

As a result, unlike our parched land, Costa Rica suffers from water excesses, specifically inundations during the rainy season. On the day before my arrival, more than 20 houses were washed away by rain-swollen rivers in the Central Valley, where the capital San José is located.

Diverse Eco-Zones

Costa Rica, like Israel, is a small compact country and has a wealth of distinct eco-zones that can be reached within hours. My visit to the Poas Volcano began in the temperate central valley, which is bordered by a mountain range and a chain including four of the country’s seven active volcanoes. All told, Costa Rica has 212 volcanic formations.

From Escazu, an upscale borough of the capital, we drove north. The highway through the metropolitan area is jammed with vehicular traffic and lined with savannah; grasses grow a meter tall or higher. Deep ravines with rivulets can be seen from the road.

Along the way to Poas is the second of the Central Valley’s cities, Alajuela, which is a symbol of Costa Rican democracy. In 1856, the settlement held the line against an invasion by Nicaraguan mercenaries in the service of an American filibuster, William Walker, who attempted to carve out a slave empire in Central America.

The area was particularly coveted by the invaders given that along the Costa Rican-Nicaraguan border runs the San Juan River, which was sought as an alternative site to the Panama Canal.  Alajuela is a small city proud of its historical significance and educational institutions. Its central park is bordered by mango trees and a sculpture of Juan Santamaría, the national hero who led the resistance against the American-backed invasion.

Coffee Lands and Huge Ferns

Alajuela is thirty kilometers from the Poas volcano. On the way to the national park we passed the town of San Isidro, named after the Catholic saint of land and farmers.

It is an area of incredible fecundity and the locale of many of the country’s famed coffee plantations. At an elevation of one thousand meters, the terrain is ideal for coffee cultivation.

With rich volcanic soils, good drainage, sunny mornings and rain-filled afternoons that provide  the six hours of daylight that is optimum for growing coffee, the crop thrives in the area. Significantly, forty percent of the coffee lands in the area are owned by one family. Migrant labor, mainly from Nicaragua to the north, is the principal labor source cultivating the crop.

Past San Isidro is a transition zone where the primary form of cultivation is horticulture, predominantly large ferns cultivated under the shade of expansive black netting. The produce is exported to North American and European markets for use in flower arrangements. Hibiscus flowers are abundant, as is a range of  other flora.

Further north is grazing land for dairy cows. The embankments at the side of the road tower up to ten meters revealing deep, brown soils. The roots of a typical tree are often the size of a log. The houses along the hillsides are painted mauve, lime, blue and guava —  tropical colored adobes amidst the verdant green. North American hippies in search of tranquility found their way here in the 1970s and signs leading to enterprises like Muy Tranquillo Regalos (“Very Tranquil Gifts”) and the La Paz Peace Lodge line the road.

Poas Volcano National Park

Founded on January 25, 1971 the Poas Volcano National Park is 2708 meters above sea level and encompasses 6,500 hectares. It has two craters, the Central Crater being the site of an active volcano and the Botos Crater crowning a volcano that has been extinct for thousands of  years.

I was warned that there might be poor visibility due to the rains experienced earlier in the week and that were expected to continue. Thankfully the skies held, and the site is well-planned and cared for by the authorities.

The Central Crater: Power and Plumes

The passageway to the volcano is a ten minute walk fringed with large trees and ferns the size of elephant ears. The pungent odor of sulphur becomes apparent when, suddenly, the tree line ends and one arrives at a wooden observation post. Before you is a sight that is difficult to anticipate, a world unlike any other.

The vast landscape is denuded of vegetation. Sheer rock in various shades of brown, gray and red line the sides of a huge crater of the Poas Volcano that is very much active. Clouds hover overhead and a jet of vapor and steam pumps from the bowels of the earth. It is raw nature, the source of power that can and has ejected boulders, lava and ash within recent memory (1956). At present, the 1.6 kilometer wide crater emits steam and vapor, a reminder of its explosive potential, an epicenter for earthquakes.

Danger of Acid Rain

At the bottom of the crater is one of the site’s two lagoons. Due to the active heat of the volcano, the lagoon in the Central Crater is expected to become completely evaporated by December of this year, down from a depth of fourteen meters six months ago. The consequence will be acid rain, which will likely damage coffee and other crops in the adjacent slopes of the mountain. As long as the volcano is active and the heat evaporates rainwater, the threat of acid rain remains.

The Botos Lagoon

A forty minute walk from the main crater leads to the extinct Botos Crater. The basin is deep with rainwater that feeds into the Rio Angel and the Rio Sarapiqui. The site is exquisite, a natural wonder.

It is surrounded by thick forests containing scores of bird species including hummingbirds, robins and quetzals. Mammals include coyotes, long-tailed weasels, skunks and felines and a squirrel endogenous only to Poas.

Throughout the low, thick canopy and brush surrounding the Botos lagoon is a myriad of plant species that comprise a unique ecosystem in shades of dark and light.

The clouds are of central importance to Costa Rica’s watershed and water regeneration. The cloud forest atop Poas is  the source of many rivers running east to the Gulf of Mexico and west to the Pacific.

A tour of the Poas Volcano National Park is breathtaking and sobering: the glory and power of nature are apparent there. The site is a monument to natural realities that no amount of technology can contain or emulate. I hope to return there, again and again, as it is a place of extreme poetry.

More travel news from afar:

Celebrity Lake Naivasha Gets Help. Are Others Left Behind?

Slow Down, You Eat Too Fast (All About the Slow Food Movement)

The post A Blogger’s Diary: A Cloud Forest, A Volcano and an Israeli Geographer appeared first on Green Prophet.