Volcanic activity still present on Jabal Al-Tyer [Archives:2007/1097/Local News]
By: Almigdad Dahesh Mojalli
SANA'A oct. 23 ) An official at the General Authority for Developing Yemeni Islands confirms that steam, smoke and lava continue rising, although more weakly, on Jabal Al-Tyer Island.
Yahya Al-Kayna'e, general manager of the authority, reported to 26 September newspaper that two volcanic recording stations on Kamaran and Al-Zubair islands will be linked directly with the one in Dhamar.
Al-Kayna'e indicated that the authority has nearly completed its report on the Jabal Al-Tyer volcano, as well as finalizing the national plan to face disasters and incidents on Yemeni islands.
He noted that the authority will hold three workshops to discuss the plan in collaboration with concerned authorities in Hodeidah, Mukalla and Aden.
Regarding studying the volcano, Dr. Mohammed Al-Kadasi says some steam and gases continue rising on the island, but this is normal as deep crevices widen.
He added that volcanic activity will continue, but at different strength due to the island's location, explaining that strength of activity depends upon the ascendance of lava from the bottom of the sea.
Geologists note that numerous seisms occur during a volcano's ascent from the earth's inner layers and these seisms can be recorded before the ascendance of lava
The recording stations, which were established following the Jabal Al-Tyer volcano, have shown that seismic tremors continue, meaning that volcanic activity remains present on the island. If volcanic activity continues at its current strength, the possibility of volcanic eruption spreading to mainland Yemen is weak, as the current area is considered the discharge point for any potential power existing within the earth.
Al-Kadasi notes that Yemen has two volcanic districts, the first of which are mainland fields represented by Sana'a, Amran, Marib, Sirwah, Dhamar, Rada'a, Bir Ali, Aden and including Socotra. The second type is Yemeni islands like Jabal Al-Tyer, Hanish Island and other Red Sea islands.
As long as volcanic activity begins out in the middle of the Red Sea, such as on Jabal Al-Tyer Island, the possibility of expansion to the Yemeni mainland is remote unless it coincides with strong tremors in the abovementioned locations.
Al-Kadasi adds that volcanic activity on Jabal Al-Tyer Island may produce mainland activity seen in increased steam, sulfur and other gases in Dhamar's Isbil and Al-Lissi mountains.
He points out that although volcanic activity in Yemen has its own specific locations, any future tremors may raise up lava in any weak rocky region influenced by such tremors. “Thus, we recommend focusing on any tremors throughout Yemen, recording them and dealing with them as the tremors following the Jabal Al-Tyer volcano.”
He added, “The Geological Survey Authority has integrated seismic and volcanic recordkeeping into the tasks of Dhamar's seismic record center.”
The Jabal Al-Tyer volcano erupted Sept. 30, killing at least eight Yemeni soldiers on a military base established on the island since its 1996 conflict with Eritrea over nearby Hanish and Jabal Zuqar islands.
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