VOLCANIC ERUPTION ON FERNANDINA
On the morning of Friday 13 May, the Galapagos National Park reported the presence of a column of smoke between 5 and 7 km high originating from the active volcano on Fernandina island. Pilots from the TAME airline confirmed the report.
Fernandina is the westernmost island in the archipelago, and its volcano is the second highest at 1,494 metres (4,900 feet). This volcano is the most active of all those in the archipelago, and is actually one of the most volcanically active anywhere in the world. It is the youngest and most pristine island in Galapagos, which is to say it has no introduced animals. It may be the largest pristine island in the world. Tourists are limited to a single landing site, the rocky promontory of Punta Espinosa, on the northern coast of the island.
The last eruption occurred on the island in January 1995, and lasted for about three months. In 1968, an eruption resulted in two-thirds of the caldera floor collapsing by 340 metres (1,100 feet). Smaller eruptions were recorded in 1972, 1973 and 1977.
Staff from the Galapagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Foundation report that the current lava flows are down the southern slopes of the volcano, and so far none have reached the sea. Most of the flows have been down unvegetated older lava flows, and damage to Fernandina's vegetation is minor. At present the eruption seems unlikely to affect human safety, but the two organisations will continue to monitor the situation.
..Top
|
