Bristol Island Volcano Erupts after 60 Years

GYB

Bristol Island Volcano Joins the Global Volcanic  Unrest

Bristol Island volcano, one of South Sandwich Islands group, formed near East Scotia Ridge in Antarctica, is erupting for the first time in 60 years.

Bristol Island is an 8 km long volcanic island in the South Sandwich Islands, located between Montagu Island and Thule Island.

The Island is composed of several active volcanoes with eruptions reported in 1823, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1941, 1950, 1956 and 2016.

(Landsat 8 satellite imagery – annotated by Culturevolcan)

Seismicity in the Region

Powerful quake measuring up to M 7.0 occurred at 58.101°S, 14.867°W, depth of 10km, about 685 km east of Bristol Island, South Sandwich Islands,  on January 05, 2010 at 04:56 UTC.

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.3Mw occurred at a depth of 31km about 216 km SSE of Bristol Island on 15 Jul 2013, according to USGS/EHP.

A cluster of 15 earthquakes measuring ≥ 4.6Mw have struck the East Scotia Ridge since April 8, 2016, with largest event measuring 5.9Mw.

• M5.9 at 55.626°S, 27.232°W; depth=10.6km, about 119km N of Visokoi Island, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on 2016-04-19 at 05:25:39 UTC.

Latest Global Volcanic Activity

• Kerinci (Indonesia)
• Klyuchevskoy Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Rincon de la Vieja (Costa Rica)
• Santa Maria (Guatemala)
• White Island (North Island, NZ)

Ongoing Activity

• Alaid (Kuril Islands, Russia)
• Bagana (Bougainville, PNG)
• Cleveland (Chuginadak Island, Alaska)
• Colima (Mexico)
• Karymsky (E. Kamchatka, Russia)
• Kilauea (Hawaii)
• Masaya (Nicaragua)
• Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia)
• Sangay (Ecuador)
• Sheveluch (C. Kamchatka)
• Sinabung (Indonesia)
• Tengger Caldera (E. Java)
• Turrialba (Costa Rica)

Related Links

• Powerful EQ Strikes E of Bristol I., SSI Posted by feww on January 5, 2010
• Volcanoes Awakening Globally by Strong Seismicity April 19, 2016

Fort McMurray Wildfire has Destroyed 1,600 Buildings: Alberta Premier

State of Emergency Declared in Alberta

Mandatory Mass Evacuations: 88,000 residents flee Fort McMurray, surrounding communities

The explosive wildfire that is raging around Fort McMurray, the Canadian oil city in the provice of Alberta, has consumed about 8,000 hectares so far,  destroying 1,600 structures in the city, said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.

“There’s been fairly significant destruction of residences,” she told reporters in Edmonton on Wednesday.

“We’re looking at roughly 1,600 structures at this point, so we’ve begun conversations with our federal partners about work that will need to be done with respect to restoration and recovery once the fire is brought under control.”

• Communities south of Fort McMurray order to leave as wildfire advances
• LIVE BLOG: Breaking updates on the Fort McMurray wildfire

“We successfully evacuated 88,000 people,” fire Chief Darby Allen said at a news conference.  “No one is hurt and no one has passed away.”

Fort McMurray effectively cut off from the rest of Alberta 

“Currently that fire, at Airport Road and Highway 63  … has jumped both sides of the road, and traffic is no longer moving north or south,” a city official said on Wednesday evening.

Morning dawns on the widespread devastation in Beacon Hill, where 80 per cent of homes were lost. (Sylvain Bascaron/CBC)

Related Links

• Wildfire Forces Evacuation Order for 60,000+ in Fort McMurray, Canada May 4, 2016