The Italian supervolcana triggers concerns and evacuation plans
Many signs indicate that yes, and an evacuation is planned.
When it comes to volcanic eruptions , it is always better to be safe than sorry. In addition to the hot lava and suffocating ashes, an explosion - even a "small" - can cause all kinds of destruction, floods and mud shifts to feed breakdowns, contamination of drinking water and fires of forest, according to the Centers for disaster control and prevention (CDC).
In the long term, eruptions can cause fewer periods of rain, the destruction of cultures and vegetation and even an economy in a standstill, according to the Industrial hygiene and toxicology archives . Thus, when volcanoes act with suspicion, scientists listen to. Currently, there are a few that experts are looking at because of their increased seismic activity and the level of destruction they would cause if they raw. Read the rest to find out if a unique explosion in life is imminent.
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There is a disturbing seismic activity at Campi Flegrei Caldera in Italy.
One of the most common indicators of an upcoming eruption is an increase in the frequency and intensity of seismic activity, as well as ground swelling Surface, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Campi Flegrei, a caldera eight thousand wide in Naples, Italy, lives both at the moment. The Guardian writes that the area has seen more than 1,100 earthquakes In September, including 4.0 and 4.3 Magnicity earth tremors at the end of the month, which were the strongest in the region in four decades. The soil also has 1.15 meters Since 2005, according to Nature .
The Flegrei campi recently broke out in 1538, and the events that led there were similar to those that the region now sees. According to an account Summary by the USGS , a "swarm of earthquakes that had disturbed the inhabitants of Pozzuoli and Naples all summer ended suddenly on September 29. was the start of a weekly eruption."
One of the most important eruptions of Campi Flegrei occurred 39,000 years ago and may have led to the extinction of the Neanderthal man, by The Guardian .
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Scientists have two theories for activity.
This information seems disturbing. "The first thing people think is that there will be a End of civilization eruption , " Michael Poland , a geological survey and the scientist responsible for the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
But this is probably not the case. Instead, the activity is probably due to a phenomenon called Bradyseism, when the earth rises or falls due to the filling or emptying of the underground magmatic chambers, explains The Guardian . Most volcanologists agree that there is no imminent threat of eruption. However, the rise in the land could have an impact on local buildings and lead to dangerous situations. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
A similar activity also occurs in the United States. The Caldera de Long Valley, a volcano in California at around 250 miles north of Los Angeles, has seen increased seismic activity over the past four decades, which has prompted scientists to examine it more closely. In a recent study published in the journal Scientists progress , scientists from California Institute of Technology say that earthquakes are probably due to Caldera cooling .
"We do not think that the region is preparing for another supervolcanic eruption, but the cooling process can release enough gas and liquid to cause earthquakes and small eruptions", " Zhongwen Zhan , a geologist who worked on the study, said in a press release .
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Despite the low risk, Italy is preparing for potential evacuation.
The Italian government is developing plans to ensure that it would be able to evacuate the more than 500,000 people who live in cities and villages near Caldera. They also plan to check the strength of buildings in the region after seeing month of repeated earthquakes , according to Reuters.
It is a difficult call to make.
In October, Minister of Italian Civil Protection Nello Musumeci The said evacuations would only be triggered in the event of "extreme necessity", reports Reuters.
The area was evacuated before, although no eruption took place. In 1983, there was a large -scale evacuation of Pozzuoli after a series of earthquakes and three meters of uprising in the ground, written The Guardian . About 40,000 people were ordered to leave the region.
Flegrei camp is part of a supervolcano, which means that it can create an eruption of magnitude 8. In a magnitude 8, the Voyage of measured deposits Further than 240 cubic miles, according to the USGS.
In that spirit, again, it may be better to be safe than sorry.
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