Island off southern Japan evacuated after volcano erupts

I think we have come to be and built or 'civilisation' during a relatively quiet epoch. Here comes normality.

it makes one wonder if are we sitting on a powder keg?

But we have always been sitting on a powder keg! The only difference is that now, with instant media, every shaker everywhere is immediately reported

It's very possible that all of the above statements are correct. Instant media makes people much more aware and gives the impression that disasters are increasing. But that also doesn't necessarily mean the impression is incorrect factually. Have seen a few articles where quake and volcano experts have floated the idea that what we thought of as normal was in fact a relatively quiet, short period in geological time, and that normal is actually much more active and violent. And that maybe we are returning to that normal level. True or not I have no idea, but it is food for thought to say the least.

Jandworld +1, This is a huge waste of geothermal energy. Especially because most of the volcanoes explodes because of pressure from molten rock expanding because of heat, heavily cooling it with a high capacity geothermal power-plant might actually cool it enough to make it not erupt. That might actually save the country money.

At any rate, volcanic eruptions have been making headlines these days. I don't mean to fuel fears of a next big one and such, but I think we'd better keep an eagle eye on associated phenomena down the road.

There are 47 relatively active volcanoes throughout Japan that have some kind of monitoring system placed on them. Five to ten of these will erupt, on average, per year, I just saw an J Meteorological Agency spokesman explaining on TV.

47 is close to the number of nuclear reactors here!!!

Jandworld: because that would cost the power companies money -- they want to put us all in danger by using a dangerous, outdated nuclear power plant. Notice how they're scrambling to say this shouldn't affect restart?

In any case, there was another news thread on this on another site talking about how one person is unaccounted for because he lived in the area "generally off limits". Perhaps this was the 72-year-old guy who got burned? Why on earth was someone allowed to live in an area off limits?

In any case, nothing we can do about this kind of thing except try and be as ready as you can be and get out of the way when it comes.

The smell of sulphur or vulcano belchs could be smelled this morning on Yakushima south side. Also ash fell here as is Kagoshima city quite used to.

One wonders why Kyushu has only 2%geothermal electrics. Since the 70s of the last century noone works on it.

bigfujiyama:

" My dog looked at me in a funny way yesterday, a frog was heard to recite poetry in Manchester, and there is a butter shortage. All the signs are there people. Big quake coming soon. "

That also proves that 9/11 was conspiracy by the illuminati and that Elvis is alive. You have nailed the mechanics of conspiracy theories :-))

My dog looked at me in a funny way yesterday, a frog was heard to recite poetry in Manchester, and there is a butter shortage.

All the signs are there people. Big quake coming soon.

I don't always agree with what you say WillB, but you got that post entirely correct.

shakuji:

" Yes I could not agree more. Earthquakes from Nepal to San Jacinto CA, and steam at Hakone, this one blows, it makes one wonder if are we sitting on a powder keg? "

But we have always been sitting on a powder keg! The only difference is that now, with instant media, every shaker everywhere is immediately reported, and in connection with the human trait of "confirmation bias", anybody who wants to believe in disaster finds instant confirmation.

There is now doubt that there will be a catastrophic earthquake soon. Problem is that in geological terms, anything between now and tens of thousands of years is "soon".

Yes I could not agree more. Earthquakes from Nepal to San Jacinto CA, and steam at Hakone, this one blows, it makes one wonder if are we sitting on a powder keg?

Volcanoes aren't thought to trigger earthquakes. If anything, there is a tiiiiinnny bit of possibility that earthquakes might have something to do with volcanic eruptions but even that is thought to be basically untrue.

Relax, have some dip. All shall be well.

Incredible footage here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=148&v=rTO3ZWOZSsU

Oh and 'dong' in the article must be there to represent the Japanese "Don!", which would more likely be "Thud" or "Thump" in English.

Quote: “There was a really loud, ‘dong’ sound of an explosion, and then black smoke rose, darkening the sky,” he told the national broadcaster NHK. “It smelled of sulfur.”

Good. No nuclear power plant restarts. On another road, I believe we are now entering a much more active, if not normal phase, of the earth's life. I think we have come to be and built or 'civilisation' during a relatively quiet epoch. Here comes normality.

It was at level 3 before. And as the article mentioned, it had erupted just last August as well.

Yes I could not agree more. Earthquakes from Nepal to San Jacinto CA, and steam at Hakone, this one blows, it makes one wonder if are we sitting on a powder keg?

Don't be surprised if there's a major earthquake soon. (no, i didn't get that from God, my crystal ball, or my own pet theory). Just a few too many things shaking around the place lately.

Have fun, enjoy life, but be prepared.