5 ‘dead’ volcanoes around the world that are ‘waking’ up and….

Volcanoes are one of the most mysterious wraths of nature! Let’s not forget what an erupting volcano can do. And how volcanoes have been responsible for wiping out human settlements in the past. Our planet is dotted with some active, some inactive and some ‘we assumed dead’ or extinct volcanoes. Being extinct actually means these volcanoes hadn’t erupted in tens of thousands of years; however, the news is these ‘thought to be dead’ volcanoes are coming to life after scientists discovered hidden activity beneath their surfaces.

Some advances in satellite monitoring, seismic networks, and other techniques are showing that the Earth’s interior remains dynamic and unpredictable. New research shows that zombie volcanoes may not be dead at all.

On this note, let’s have a look at five such volcanoes which showed signs of being alive in recent years.

Uturuncu in the Andes of Bolivia is also known as the Zombie Volcano. It hasn’t erupted in about 250,000 years! Scientists named it so because it shows persistent signs of activity. Long-term monitoring shows the center of the volcanic edifice slowly rises while the surrounding terrain sinks. Researchers using seismic imaging and GPS data revealed that hot fluids and gases move upward but as of now it doesn’t indicate eruptible magma.

The Taftan Volcano in southeastern Iran has been assumed dead but looks like it is now waking up from 700,000 years of long sleep! It was long considered extinct but a study published in Geophysical Research Letters shows surprising signs of life.

The volcano last erupted in 1902 and wiped out the city of St. Pierre. The volcano eruption claimed almost 30,000 innocent lives. But the infamous volcano is showing signs of life once again, drawing scientists’ attention. In recent years, researchers have seen new signs of unrest at the volcano, prompting the authorities.

Bolshaya Udina is in the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia and was once renounced extinct. But now, seismic activity and ground movement starting in the late 2010s prompted volcanologists to revise the status of the volcano. Scientists call it active now because of earthquakes. This only shows how volcanoes with no historical eruptions can awaken without much warning.

Ciomadul last erupted about 30,000 years ago. Set in the Eastern Carpathians of Romania, this ‘assumed to be dead’ volcano now shows that its magma chambers may still be partially molten, exhibiting seismicity. Even volcanoes dormant for thousands of years can retain subsurface magma systems capable of future activity.