New Island Emerges after Undersea Volcano Erupts Off Japan

In this aerial photo, plume billows from the water off the Ioto island, following an eruption in Ogasawara, southern Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 30, 2023. (Kyodo News via AP)
In this aerial photo, plume billows from the water off the Ioto island, following an eruption in Ogasawara, southern Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 30, 2023. (Kyodo News via AP)
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New Island Emerges after Undersea Volcano Erupts Off Japan

In this aerial photo, plume billows from the water off the Ioto island, following an eruption in Ogasawara, southern Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 30, 2023. (Kyodo News via AP)
In this aerial photo, plume billows from the water off the Ioto island, following an eruption in Ogasawara, southern Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 30, 2023. (Kyodo News via AP)

An undersea volcano erupted off Japan three weeks ago, providing a rare view of the birth of a tiny new island, but experts say it may not last very long.
The unnamed undersea volcano, located about 1 kilometer off the southern coast of Iwo Jima, which Japan calls Ioto, started its latest series of eruptions on Oct. 21.
Within 10 days, volcanic ash and rocks piled up on the shallow seabed, its tip rising above the sea surface. By early November, it became a new island about 100 meters in diameter and as high as 20 meters above the sea, according to Yuji Usui, an analyst in the Japan Meteorological Agency's volcanic division.
Volcanic activity has increased near Iwo Jima and similar undersea eruptions have occurred in recent years, but the formation of a new island is a significant development, The Associated Press quoted Usui as saying.

Volcanic activity at the site has since subsided, and the newly formed island has somewhat shrunk because its “crumbly” formation is easily washed away by waves, Usui said.
He said experts are still analyzing the development, including details of the deposits. The new island could survive longer if it is made of lava or something more durable than volcanic rocks such as pumice.
“We just have to see the development,” he said. “But the island may not last very long.”
Undersea volcanos and seismic activities have formed new islands in the past.
In 2013, an eruption at Nishinoshima in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo led to the formation of a new island, which kept growing during a decade-long eruption of the volcano.
Also in 2013, a small island surfaced from the seabed after a massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Pakistan. In 2015, a new island was formed as a result of a month-long eruption of a submarine volcano off the coast of Tonga.
Of about 1,500 active volcanos in the world, 111 are in Japan, which sits on the so-called Pacific “ring of fire,” according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.



Endangered Species Return to Natural Habitat at Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Reserve

 The Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve is the second largest royal reserve in the Kingdom - SPA
The Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve is the second largest royal reserve in the Kingdom - SPA
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Endangered Species Return to Natural Habitat at Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Reserve

 The Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve is the second largest royal reserve in the Kingdom - SPA
The Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve is the second largest royal reserve in the Kingdom - SPA

The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority, in collaboration with the National Center for Wildlife, reintroduced endangered species by releasing 30 Arabian oryx, 10 Arabian gazelles, 50 sand gazelles, and five red-necked ostriches into their natural habitats.
According to SPA, the initiative is aimed at promoting environmental sustainability, restoring ecological balance within the reserve by enhancing the role of the species in their ecosystems, and raising environmental awareness, highlighting the authority's commitment to protecting endangered species.
Through its various programs, the authority seeks to increase community awareness of wildlife, support biodiversity protection, and create a sustainable environment for wildlife reproduction and conservation.
Covering an area of 91,500 square kilometers, the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve is the second largest royal reserve in the Kingdom. It is home to various wildlife and plant species, making it an ideal destination for hiking, wilderness adventures, camping, and sustainable hunting.