Discovery
Officials
in the archipelagic islands of Comoros, located off the northeastern
coast of Madagascar, issued a volcano warning during the weekend
that Khartala Volcano could erupt within the next several weeks.
The 7,874-foot-high
Khartala last erupted in 1991, but at least 55 tremors have been
recorded near the mountain since last Monday, triggering widespread
alarm in nearby communities. Soule Hamidou, a technician in charge
of the Khartala Observatory, said, "We cannot rule out the
possibility of an eruption."
The islands
that make up the archipelago, Ngazidja, Mwali, Nzwani, and Mayotte,
originally rose from the seabed of the western Indian Ocean as
the result of volcanic activity.
Lava from
an explosion in 1977 destroyed the entire town of Singani, 15
miles south of the capital city, Moroni.
Volcano
Erupts in Hokkaido
Japan's Komagatake
Volcano exploded before dawn on Saturday, blanketing the city
of Shikabe with volcanic ash and sending a plume of smoke 4,000
feet into the night sky.
The volcano,
located on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido, also
erupted on September 4 and 28.
Officials
at the Sapporo District Meteorological Observatory reported that
five volcanic tremors were recorded near the 4,301-foot-high mountain
preceding the eruption. The agency expressed concern that the
recent series of eruptions could lead to a larger explosion.
Five communities
at the base of the volcano set up emergency shelters, and residents
were warned to stay on alert.
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