New island emerges off Japan coast as a result of underwater volcano eruption

Composed of thousands of islands, Japan has now added one more to its makeup after the recent eruption of a submarine volcano.

The new landmass was detected by the Japan Coast Guard two days after its Aug. 13 formation. The island, a result of an eruption from the undersea Fukutoku-Okanoba volcano, is located about 1,200 kilometers south of Tokyo, near Iwo Jima.

The newly minted island is quite small in size, at just one kilometer in diameter, but officials think the eruption is still ongoing. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued smoke and ash warnings for the area while it keeps an eye on the volcanic activity.

As a result of the blast the coast guard reported seeing plumes of steam and gas extending more than 15 kilometres into the sky. As well, it saw parts of pumice created by the eruption floating across a 60-kilometre-wide area of the ocean. The coast guard eventually discovered the crescent shape of the new island.

According to Forbes, authorities suspect the entire caldera of Fukutoku-Okanoba may eventually rise above the surface of the water.

Composed of thousands of islands, Japan has now added one more to its makeup after the recent eruption of a submarine volcano.

The new landmass was detected by the Japan Coast Guard two days after its Aug. 13 formation. The island, a result of an eruption from the undersea Fukutoku-Okanoba volcano, is located about 1,200 kilometres south of Tokyo, near Iwo Jima.

The newly minted island is quite small in size, at just one kilometre in diameter, but officials think the eruption is still ongoing. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued smoke and ash warnings for the area while it keeps an eye on the volcanic activity.

(Japan Coast Guard)

As a result of the blast, the coast guard reported seeing plumes of steam and gas extending more than 15 kilometres into the sky. As well, it saw parts of pumice created by the eruption floating across a 60-kilometre-wide area of the ocean. The coast guard eventually discovered the crescent shape of the new island.

Steam/ash plume and pumice raft from the Fukutoku-Okanoba submarine volcano, south east of Japan. pic.twitter.com/z22QY0PC0w

— Andrew Miskelly (@andrewmiskelly) August 16, 2021

According to Forbes, authorities suspect the entire caldera of Fukutoku-Okanoba may eventually rise above the surface of the water.

However, the new discovery may not be permanent. New islands verified in 1904, 1914, and 1986 all disappeared soon after. The most recent of the islands had a lifespan of about two months because of erosion from waves and currents.

Source: Forbes